food

Cod fillets make a great baked fish recipe. This recipe is great for all types of fish, especially cod or tilapia fish fillets, which are generally good buys at the supermarket. Cod and
tilapia are both low key fish with a mild flavor, so baking them in the oven with a homemade tartar sauce and panko breadcrumb topping adds a nice twist. This baked fish recipe cooks up quick and is
perfect for family meals.

White bean dip is super versatile, and this easy dip recipe can be used in a variety of dishes. Bean dip makes a handy spread for a crostini or sandwich, a healthy dip for chips or vegetables, or as a bean puree to serve as a dinner side for meat, fish, or vegetarian meals.

How To Make a Bean Dip Recipe

I like to use canned beans.
You can use your favorite beans, or a mixture of bean types.
I prefer white beans for this recipe, like Navy or Cannellini.

Heat oil in a pot on medium heat for sauteing.

Add in the chopped garlic and red pepper flakes; stir the garlic for a few minutes until it begins to color.

Add in a bit of black pepper, and the chopped mushrooms, and continue sauteing.

Add the Worcestershire sauce.

Continue cooking for 3 or 4 minutes; the mushrooms will cook down quite quickly.

Add in the beans and maybe ½ cup of water or broth. Be conservative when adding liquid; the finished bean dip will be best thicker, rather than thinner.

Raise the heat to medium high, cover, and simmer beans for about 5 minutes.

Uncover, reduce the heat, and continue simmering until the liquid has cooked down and the bean mix thickens.

Turn off the burner.

Stir in the cheese until it melts into the beans. Use freshly grated cheese for best results.

Add the zest and juice of one medium to large lemon, and 2-3 Tbsp of dark olive oil.

Mix into the beans and cheese.

Transfer to a blender or food processor and blend until the bean dip is smooth,
or use a hand mixer and blend dip in the cooking pot.

Give it a taste test and adjust seasoning as needed.

Set dip aside to cool a bit.

White bean puree makes an excellent bean dip or spread.

This bean dip can be served warm or cold, although it’s especially tasty warm.
Use it as a dip for chips or sliced veggies; it pairs particularly well with thick tortilla chips.
Use this bean dip as a sandwich spread instead of mayonnaise, or as a crostini topping.
White bean dip will pair nicely as a puree for fish or meat entrees.
Great as a party or dinner appetizer or just as a movie watching snack.

Give this easy bean dip recipe a try and let me know what you think, and bon appétit!

A little curry is a simple way to add a nice twist to scrambled eggs, and adding a bit of fresh greens into the mix will elevate the eggs to a slightly healthier plane. Scrambled eggs are always a good idea for a quick, hot breakfast, and this curry egg scramble cooks up quick. We often add spinach to egg dishes; it doesn’t effect the cooking time at all. I’m more of a runny yolk guy myself, and plain-jane scrambled eggs are never a good idea, but curry makes all things wonderful…and if the idea of mayonnaise on eggs sounds awful…well…just give this curry mayo a try.

How To Make a Scrambled Eggs Curry

In a bowl, whisk eggs with salt, pepper, onion flakes, garlic powder, and ½ the curry.
In a smaller dish, mix the rest of the curry with the mayonnaise (add additional seasonings as desired).
On a medium burner, heat oil in a skillet.
When oil is hot, add garlic and chopped green onion bottoms and saute for 1 minute.
Add butter and spread garlic and onion on the pan bottom.
Top with the spinach, spreading the leaves evenly across the pan.
Add in the egg mixture and let cook for about 2 minutes keeping the burner on medium heat.
Turn the eggs (or flip them…it’s more fun to flip) and turn off the heat.
The pan will be hot enough to finish the eggs.
Plate the eggs and top with a dollop of the Curry Mayonnaise.
And that’s it!scrambled egg curry with curry mayo
Give this scrambled egg recipe a try and let me know what you think, and bon appétit!

Huevos rancheros is a tasty way to add zing to your standard egg recipe. If you love beans and salsa for breakfast, then this dish is definitely your jam*. It’s a bit of upfront work, but once you’ve got the basic components prepared, it’s a quick and easy recipe to put together, so huevos rancheros is a smart idea if you’re feeding a crowd of folks for breakfast or brunch.

How to Make a Ranchero Sauce Recipe

(disclaimer…the easiest thing to do is just heat some salsa and add water or broth to thin it a bit…but for the ultimate huevos rancheros dish, you’ll want to make your own.)

In a pot, heat one 15oz can of diced tomatoes (or 3 skinned and chopped roma tomatoes)

Add onion, garlic, peppers and seasonings.

As the tomatoes begin to cook down, add in broth or water.

Bring pot to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.

Simmer for about 10 minutes, then turn off the heat.

Smooth out the ranchero sauce with a hand blender–this is optional, but it looks nice

Once you’ve got the components ready, huevos rancheros can beput together quickly

How to Make Tortillas for Huevos Rancheros

(disclaimer…the easiest thing to do is buy a cheap pack of premade tortillas and heat them in a skillet,
but uglier and thicker homemade tortillas actually taste a little better in huevos rancheros)

Ugly tortillas are easy to make.

Mix an amount of corn flour with slightly less warm water to form a dough.

Half a cup of corn flour makes 4 small tortillas.

Form dough into a flat, palm sized tortilla shape.

Heat the tortillas in an ungreased non-stick skillet on medium high heat for about 90 seconds, turning several times.

And that’s it…corn tortillas cook fast.

Hold the tortillas in a covered container, or cover the tortillas on a plate until you’re ready to build the huevos rancheros.

Huevos rancheros is an easy way toimpress your family in the morning

How to Make Huevos Rancheros

Once you’ve got the beans, tortillas, and ranchero sauce prepared, the rest of the dish is a breeze.
You’ve just got to cook the eggs and build the huevos rancheros.
Use whatever kind of eggs you like.
Some folks use poached eggs (too much trouble), and some folks like to use scrambled
eggs (crazy), but I prefer over easy eggs.
On a plate, place the tortilla. Top the tortilla with enough beans to cover the tortilla. Top the beans with the egg.
And then top the egg with the ranchero sauce.
I like to garnish the top of my huevos rancheros with chopped green onion tops and cilantro; it adds terrific flavor
and a nice look to the dish.
Serve your huevos rancheros with a side of sour cream and avocado slices (or guacamole).

Huevos Rancheros is a flavorful, classic mexican dish…delicious!

And that’s it. It can be a bit of work if you’re making the meal from scratch, but if you’re in a hurry, using a pre-made salsa and tortillas can save a lot of time.
Don’t skimp on the beans, though…well seasoned beans make for a terrific huevos rancheros dish –and topping the dish with fresh green onion and cilantro will knock your breakfast out of the park!

Give this huevos rancheros recipe a try and let me know what you think, and bon appetit!

Check out this easy yuca recipe. Yuca is a starchy root that makes a terrific change up from a potato dish. Me and CG have been cooking up yuca roots with garlic and onion for years, inspired by our favorite Cuban restaurants in Florida. The combo of yuca, garlic, onion, and cumin will knock your socks off, so check out the video and give this delicious yuca recipe a try.

How To Cook Yuca Recipe

Using a sharp knife, cut the yuca into manageable sizes and carefully cut away the outer skin of the yuca root. The skin is inedible and should be discarded.

Place yuca pieces into a pot of water and bring to a boil. Yuca should never be eaten uncooked.

Reduce heat and simmer 15-20 minutes or until yuca root can be pierced easily with a fork. Do not overcook!

Yuca pieces should not be mushy. Drain yuca and cool with water.

Remove fibrous stem from center of root and cut into 1 inch chunks.

Heat oil in a skillet.

Add garlic and onion and let simmer for a several minutes.

Add red pepper flakes, cumin, and salt to taste.

Add yuca.

Mix and allow all to simmer for 5 minutes. Give the yuca an occasional stir. Add a bit of water if needed, but not too much.

Remove from heat and add lemon juice and zest.

Cook yuca by removing the skin and boiling the root in water

And that’s it!
Yucca is an excellent substitute for potato. It goes great with any meat entree, and makes a great vegetarian meal when paired with stuffed peppers and a crisp green salad.
Give this yuca recipe a try and let me know what you think, and bon appetit!

This zucchini noodles and marinara sauce recipe is super simple to cook. The marinara sauce will pair great with any pasta, even a gluten free faux zucchini pasta, which is really just raw zucchini cut into noodles, but your taste buds will trick your brain into believing otherwise. Thin sliced ribbons of zucchini will act just like egg noodles, except when it comes to racking up the calories.

How To Make Marinara Sauce with Zucchini Noodles

In a large skillet, heat oil on medium heat.

When pan is hot, add sausage. Sometimes I’ll shape sausage into meatballs before adding to the skillet and other times I’ll just divide the sausage once it’s in the pan; whatever works for you is the right way.

Brown the sausage for a few minutes and then add the onion, garlic, and peppers.

Continue sauteing for 3-4 minutes.

Add herbs and salt and pepper to taste.

Add canned tomato and about ½ can of water.

Mix well and bring the skillet up to a bubble.

Reduce to a low simmer and cook 20-30 minutes. Add water as desired.

While sauce simmers, wash and peel 2-3 zucchini into thin noodles. I find a simple vegetable peeler to be the easiest method for slicing zucchini into thin, egg noodle like strips.

After sauce simmers, adjust seasoning as desired and stir in the chopped parsley. The parsley is optional, but adds a great color to the sauce, especially if you’re serving the marinara sauce over traditional noodles.

Remove the skillet from the heat and stir sliced zucchini noodles into the marinara sauce.

The thin zucchini will readily heat through in the hot marinara sauce and no more cooking is required.

Serve immediately (and top with Parmesan cheese if you like!)

raw ribbons of zucchini make a perfect pasta substutute

Give this very tasty marinara sauce with zucchini noodles recipe a try and let me know what you think, and bon appétit!

This Ginger Chicken Recipe will remind you of a delicious dish from your favorite Chinese restaurant. The key to a tasty ginger chicken dish is fresh ginger, and lots of it. You won’t need hard to find ingredients, just a little soy sauce, sesame oil, and some fresh produce will make all of the difference.

This stuffed mushrooms recipe makes a great appetizer and party dish; it’s pretty easy to make a bunch of these stuffed mushrooms at one time. Stuffed mushrooms are often filled with freshly grated Parmesan, garlic, and herbs, but it’s a very versatile recipe…so experiment with your favorite flavors; I personally like a blue cheese and hot sauce combo thrown into the filling, and chopped nuts and toasted breadcrumbs can add a much needed crunchiness.

How To Make Stuffed Mushrooms

Buy whole mushrooms that are uniform in size; I buy mushrooms that are not already pre-packaged, so I can select the best.
Choose mushrooms that are firm and dry and store in the fridge in a paper sack until you are ready to use them.
Before using, clean mushrooms with a damp towel.
Remove the stems and use a knife or spoon to open the mushroom center and create more room for the stuffing.
Take your time preparing the mushroom caps to avoid splitting them.
I often set aside some of the stems to use in other recipes, while reserving some to chop and mix with the stuffing.
Coat the mushroom caps lightly with olive oil and set aside.
In a bowl, combine some of the chopped stems and whatever fillings you desire.
I often use an egg, minced garlic, freshly grated Parmesan, and fresh chopped parsley with my filling, butthe variations are endless.
Blue cheese is fantastic in stuffed mushrooms.
For added crunchiness, nuts are a great idea. I find that chopped cashews work very well.
I’ll often add ingredients to the stuffing mix as I stuff the mushrooms, which makes for a nice variety of flavors.
Spoon the filling into the mushroom cap.
In a skillet, melt butter and add panko breadcrumbs. The breadcrumbs will soak up the butter and flavor.
Top stuffed mushrooms with panko breadcrumbs and place on a rack over a baking sheet.
Place stuffed mushrooms in an oven pre-heated to 375 degrees F. and bake for approximately 30 minutes or until
the breadcrumb topping is nicely toasted.
Serve warm.

Tips for Best Stuffed Mushrooms

Bake the mushrooms on a rack! This will dry them out more and make them less mushy!

Breadcrumb topping and nuts are optional, but they both add nice texture and crunch.

Set aside some mushroom stems for another recipe and make room for more non-mushroomy filling.

Start with a simple filling and then add other ingredients as you stuff the mushrooms for more variety.

Give this stuffed mushrooms recipe a try, and let me know what you think, and bon appétit!

How To Make This Chicken Tenders Recipe

Buy white chicken breasts already cut into strips, or buy breasts and cut them yourself, just make
sure to cut them into reasonably uniform sizes so that they will cook evenly.
In a bowl, season the chicken strips generously, and set aside.
In a skillet, melt butter and then turn the stove burner off.
Add panko breadcrumbs to the butter and mix well. The breadcrumbs will quickly soak up the butter
like it was never there.
Break eggs into a bowl and whisk.
In another bowl, add flour. Season the flour. Seasoning the flour and the chicken and adding the butter to the
breadcrumbs all combine to make these oven baked tenders so awesome.
Line a large baking sheet with aluminium foil and lightly coat with oil.
Take a chicken strip and dredge it in the flour, then coat it in the egg, and then roll it in the breadcrumbs until
the chicken strip is well breaded.
Place the chicken strip onto the lightly oiled pan and repeat until all of the chicken strips have been prepared.
The strips should be arranged on the pan with a slight space between each one.
Bake in an oven at 425 degrees F for 20-25 minutes, turning once about halfway through the cooking time.
Serve chicken tenders while hot, right out of the oven.

Chicken tenders go great with a dipping sauce. Ranch dressing is a favorite, along with blue cheese dressing,
BBQ sauce, and honey mustard.

Chicken fingers make a great salad topping, too –it’s a decadent way to incorporate a nice salad into your day.

Give this oven-bake chicken tender recipe a try and let me know what you think, and bon appétit!

A fettuccine alfredo recipe is an easy and delicious dish to cook at home. A thick alfredo sauce with rich cream and parmesan cheese is so satisfying and decadent. Shrimp fettuccine, chicken fettuccine, mushrooms –you can add anything you like to the noodles and alfredo sauce, but a simple and classic Fettuccine alfredo dish is one of my favorites …a classic Italian recipe so good it doesn’t need any bells and whistles.

Creamy fettuccine alfredo topped with fresh parsley and served with buttered bread.

How To Make Classic Fettuccine Alfredo

Heat a large skillet on medium heat and add the butter and oil.
When oil is hot, add garlic and saute for 20-30 seconds.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Add cream and mix well.
Stir the parmesan cheese into the skillet.
Adjust the stove top temperature as needed.
Stir the sauce until it is smooth …the sauce will thicken even more after it is off of the stove.
Add chopped parsely if you like!
Prepare the fettuccine noodles according to package directions.
Drain and add the noodles to the alfredo sauce.
And that’s it …serve hot with a salad and buttered bread, and that’s about as good as life gets.

Tips for Fettuccine Alfredo

Use finely shredded Parmesan cheese, and if buying pre-grated cheese, buy cheese without a lot of additives listed in the ingredients. Too many additives can make the parmesan lumpy and less smooth when it is melted. Ideally, grate your own cheese.
To make more alfredo sauce, simply add additional cheese and cream to taste. I like lots of sauce, so too much is not enough.
Shrimp, grilled chicken, and mushrooms are great additions to this dish, even broccoli (although fettuccine alfredo is soooo good when it’s kept simple, I rarely make these additions.)
Cook the fettuccine noodles al dente, meaning NOT OVERDONE! Chewy noodles are best for Alfredo.
Do not rinse your noodles after cooking them, this will wash away a lot of the flavor; simply drain the noodles and then stir them slowly into the alfredo sauce.

Give this creamy Italian fettuccine alfredo recipe a try and let me know what you think, and bon appétit!

How to make a pupusas recipe.
This pupusas recipe is a traditional Latin American dish of corn tortilla filled with cheese, beans, peppers and meat, although you can use any combo of ingredients you like to cook pupusas. Corn flour is mixed with salt and water to make a corn dough, or masa, and wrapped around a center filling;
that filling can simply be cheese and peppers, but I like to make it a full meal by adding beans and meat as well.

How To Make Pupusas

First thing, mix up your pupusa filling…this will allow time for the flavors to interact.
You can simply use cheese and peppers, but adding a little refried beans and leftover meat
into the mixture can turn your pupusas into a filling meal.
I often mince up leftover breakfast sausage to add into my filling, but any pork, beef, or chicken
will do, just be sure to use meat that is already cooked through; it’s a great way to use leftovers.
Combine the filling ingredients together in a bowl.
Mix well and set aside.
In another bowl, add corn flour (Maseca is a populer brand in the USA, but any corn flour will do).
Add in salt and pepper and turmeric.
Turmeric is not a traditional pupusa ingredient, but I find it adds a great color.
Mix dry ingredients together.
Add in warm tap water and mix into a dough …it mixes quite easily;
Use your hands to mix…this will give you a better sense of the dough consistency.
Mix until the dough is “doughy” and pliable–not too dry and not too wet–add additional water
or flour until reaches this consistency.
Tear off a handful of dough and roll it into a ball, then flatten the dough into a disc.
Place a ball of the cheese/bean/meat filling in the center of the disc, and then close up the edges
of the dough, sealing the filling inside a doughy ball.
Pinch off any excess dough from the top and return it to the bowl.
Flatten the dough filled ball into a disc shape, try to keep the disc intact, but if the filling leaks slightly,
it’s no big deal.
You can use more dough, or less filling, or be more careful folding the filling inside to make an absolutely
perfect pupusa…but why work that hard?
I like my pupusas to have a thin tortilla skin.
I like them to leak a little bit…I like the taste of the toasted cheese on the edges.
But that’s just me…follow your heart; but believe me, if your pupusas aren’t perfect,
they’ll taste just as good, or better.
Heat a lightly oiled griddle or skillet on med/med-high heat and cook the pupusas
about three minutes on each side.
And that’s it.
Serve as a snack or main meal. Top with sour cream, salsa, or even a cabbage slaw for a nicely balanced dish.

Give this pupusas recipe a try and let me know what you think, and bon appétit!

Ingredients For Curtido …pickled slaw topping for pupusas recipe

How to Make Curtido

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil; boil enough water to cover the veggies.
Once water is boiling, turn off and then add the veggies to the pot.
Add oregano and pepper.
Let soak for 3 minutes.
Drain the veggies from the pot, but reserve some of the water.
Put the strained veggies into a jar; ideally, use a size jar that will be completely filled.
Press the veggies into the jar until it is crammed full.
Add reserved water until the veggies are slightly more than halfway covered, then add
vinegar until the veggies are completely covered.
Allow to cool, and then cover jar with a lid and refrigerate.
The more ahead of time you make this, the more flavorful it will be.
It’s a simple and tasty topping or side for pupusas or sandwiches.

This peanut soup recipe is an African inspired dish, also called groundnut soup. It can be a spicy peanut butter soup, but adjust the pepper heat as you like. I make this peanut soup like a stew, with nice chunky ingredients, including meat and potato. This particular recipe is a variation on lamb stew, but you can use chunks of lamb, beef, chicken, or pork, whatever meat you prefer. CG has made a similar dish using only fish and no meat whatsoever, and I suspect you can make a very tasty vegetarian version of peanut soup if you prefer; what I’m saying is, adding peanut butter to soup is a very, very yummy idea, and you should definitely give it a try.

How To Make A Peanut Soup Recipe

You can use chicken, beef, lamb, fish, pork or any combination of these ingredients; soup is the perfect opportunity to use whatever ingredients you have on hand, or whatever is on sale.
For this particular peanut soup recipe, I’m using a combination of lamb and fish.
Firstly, season the meat and set aside while you chop and slice the other ingredients.
Then heat a soup pot on medium high heat, and add in your lamb. Sear the meat on all sides and then remove lamb from the pot.
Add a little oil to the pot and reduce heat to medium.
Add in the garlic, onion, and hot pepper and saute for 3-5 minutes. Add additional seasoning as desired.
Return seared lamb to the pot and add in the crushed tomato and 1 can of water.
Chop one sweet potato (or sub white potato) and add to pot.
Raise the temperature and bring the pot to a boil.
In a bowl, mix 1 cup of hot water and peanut butter until smooth.
Add mix to the soup pot.
Bring pot to a simmer, cover, and cook 30 minutes.
Add chopped fish.
Cover and simmer 15-20 minutes.
Add more water if desired.
Adjust seasoning as needed.
Turn off heat and add chopped parsley.
And that’s it…serve as is, or over rice.

Give this super tasty African inspired stew recipe a try, and let me know what you think, and bon appétit!

Try a delicious, crispy onion rings recipe. Can a baked onion ring be as good as a fried onion ring? Yep. You just need to batter the onions and bake them to onion ring perfection. Onion rings cooked in the oven can be quite crispy and flavorful, and these baked onion rings will still be considerably less mess and fuss than a fried onion rings recipe –and a much healthier recipe as well.

How To Make Crispy Onion Rings Baked in the Oven

I like to use a yellow onion when making onion rings.
I find a baseball-sized onion serves two people, and makes a great side dish for any burger or sandwich.
Slice each end of the onion off and then remove the skin.
Cut the onion into slices about ½” thick and then separate the onion into rings –use even the center and smallest rings!
Place the separated onion rings into a ziplock bag with about 2 Tbsp of flour.
Seal the bag with plenty of air inside to give the onion room to move freely.
Shake the bag until the onion slices are well coated in dry flour, then set the bag aside.
In a bowl, Combine the bread crumbs, cornmeal, and seasonings.
Mix well and set aside.
In another bowl, break two eggs and whisk.
Whisk in the milk and melted butter.
Whisk in about ½ cup of flour.
The batter should end up being similiar to a thin pancake batter.
Now you’re ready to batter your onion rings and arrange them on a baking sheet or pan.
Use a fork –or chopsticks!– to handle the onions during the battering process…it will be less messy.
Take each onion ring coated in dry flour and dip it into the pancakey batter.
Remove from the batter and let excess batter drip off, then drop into the breadcrumb mix and coat the onion completely.
Carefully, without knocking off the batter, place the battered onion ring onto the baking sheet.
Arrange the rings so they are not touching…you can place the smaller rings inside larger rings.
Bake onion rings in an oven pre-heated to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, about 20 minutes,
turning the onions once about halfway through the cooking process.
And that’s it.

Give this onion ring recipe a try and let me know what you think, and bon appétit!

It’s super easy to make a healthy Greek tzatziki sauce recipe. It’s fairly quick to prepare tzatziki sauce, but it takes a little time to reach it’s full flavor potential, so make it a few hours ahead of time before serving. Tzatziki is a mild cucumber yogurt dressing that pairs very well with spicy falafel or lamb. The sauce can be used as a dressing or dip, especially for stuffed pitas, pita chips, or fresh veggies.

How To Make a Greek Tzatziki Sauce Recipe:

I prefer using English cucumbers (also called hothouse cucumbers), or using smaller, japanese cucumbers.
These cucumber types have a lot of flavor, are less watery, and the skin is thin enough to be eaten and enjoyed (although I generally peel them when making tzatziki).
When making a tzatziki sauce, start by preparing the cucumber; this will give the cucumber time to drain while you prepare the rest of the sauce ingredients.
Peel your cucumber and grate with a hand grater, or use a food processor if you enjoy cleaning appliances.
Chop the cucumber into smaller pieces, if desired, but don’t over-process, since chunks of cucumber make a tzatziki quite nice.
Place the grated cucumber into a strainer over a bowl to allow the cucumber to drain.
Mix a bit of salt to help draw out the water. Set bowl aside and prep the other ingredients.
Into a mixing bowl, add Greek yogurt, minced garlic, lemon zest and juice, and fresh chopped herbs.
If you don’t have a lemon on hand, substitute a mild rice or wine vinegar.
Mix ingredients well.
Return to the cucumber. Quite a bit of water will have drained into the straining bowl. Use a spatula or spoon to press out more water, and then add the strained cucumber to the yogurt mixture.
Mix well, and add additional salt and pepper to taste.
Cover and place in the fridge for at least 2+ hours before serving; this will give the flavors time to maximize.
Serve as a dip or dressing/sauce.
it’s great with pita chips or fresh sliced veggies; or serve with spicy lamb–especially as a sauce in stuffed pitas, or as a condiment on lamb burgers.
Or as a dressing for a fresh salad.
Greek tzatziki is healthy, versatile, and an easy recipe worth giving a go.
Give this Greek tzatziki sauce recipe try and let me know what you think, and bon appétit!
For another Greek inspired dish, check out this Hummus Recipe

Make this easy asparagus recipe. Asparagus is super healthy and delicious, and quick to prepare; in fact, the quicker the better; asparagus is best when it is not overcooked. Asparagus plain and simple tastes great, but jazzing it up with a little curry is an excellent idea, too. If you’re a fan of Indian cooking, then this asparagus curry recipe will be a real treat, and if you’re new to Indian recipes, then this dish will be a great introduction. this Asparagus recipe cooks up fast, so making it part of an Indian meal at home is a smart idea.

How To Make Asparagus Curry

When buying asparagus, thin is better than thick. Choose firm spears. Avoid asparagus that have a wrinkled skin, or tips that are wet and greasy looking.
Rinse and drain the asparagus spears, then chop into 1 inch pieces. When slicing, leave the tops of the spears intact so they don’t fall apart while cooking.
Heat oil on medium heat in a skillet.
When oil is hot, add cumin and fennel seeds and stir for 20-30 seconds–not long at all.
Add garlic, ginger, and onion and stir skillet.
Let simmer about 2 minutes, lower heat if necessary.
Stir in curry powder and cook for another minute.
Add sliced cherry tomatoes and salt to taste.
Continue simmering about 2 minutes, and then add 1 cup of water.
Raise the temperature and bring the skillet to a bubble.
Add asparagus and reduce the temperature back to medium heat.
Simmer uncovered for another 3-4 minutes, or until the asparagus is done to your liking–it won’t take long!
And that’s it.

Try this super-quick and delicious garlic shrimp recipe. Lots of olive oil and garlic add great flavor, especially when served with fresh sliced bread. Cook the shrimp quickly in a hot skillet, but don’t overcook! Overcooked shrimp can get rubbery, so the total cooking time for this dish is about 4 minutes tops.

How to Make Garlic Shrimp

Peel and devein the shrimp (save the shells and heads to make a stock!)

Heat olive oil in a skillet on medium high heat.

When oil is hot, add red pepper flakes. Red pepper flakes add a nice heat, but substitute fresh peppers, or even a little cayenne if you like.

Add garlic and saute for 1 minute. Use as much garlic as you like. I prefer lots of garlic. I literally used an entire bulb. It seems like a lot, but the oil and garlic taste great with thick slices of fresh bread.

Add the shrimp, and continue sauteing on medium high heat.

The shrimp only take about 3 minutes to cook. Don’t overcook the shrimp; they will become rubbery if cooked overly long.

Add paprika, and salt and pepper to taste.

Saute shrimp until JUST cooked, when shrimp begin to color and curl, then remove the skillet from the heat.

Add lemon juice and fresh chopped parsley.

Mix well and serve in a bowl with thick slices of fresh bread.

Spanish-style garlic shrimp recipe

Give this garlic shrimp recipe a try and let me know what you think…and bon appétit!

And for another tasty shrimp recipe, check out this classic New Orleans-style SHRIMP REMOULADE.

Thanks for checking out the video and shrimp recipe! Click some of the buttons below to share this dish with friends and family. I appreciate it, and thanks for watching.
–Chef Buck

Here’s a faux fried catfish recipe that’s not fried, but tastes just as good as fried catfish –and with a whole lot less mess. I use saltine crackers for the breading, but panko bread crumbs are a great substitute. And catfish tastes best with tartar sauce, so throw together a little tartar sauce, too; it’s super easy.

Not Fried Catfish Recipe Directions:

Catfish and tartar sauce are like Ying and Yang, so first things first, make the tartar sauce.
In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sweet relish, jalapeno slices, and a little of the pickling solution. Ideally you do this a day ahead of time, or at the very least, a few hours; it’ll have a lot more flavor. Not a fan of jalapeno peppers?
Leave the peppers and pickling juices out, and substitute lemon juice instead.
Mix well and refrigerate.

In a bowl, crush the saltine crackers (or sub your favorite bread crumbs). Add the corn meal, all-purpose flour, and whatever spices and herbs you love.
The combo I use in this video is super tasty. Sometimes I use curry powder, which tastes fantastic, and also adds great color because of the turmeric. Whatever spices you use, be generous; catfish should be super flavorful!
Remember, whatever spice you use will be balanced by the creamy tartar sauce.

On a baking sheet, generously coat the catfish with olive oil. Coat both sides of the fish, and the pan. Dredge the fish in the breading, coating both sides.
Coat the fish well, and press the crumbs into the fish. Place on the baking pan and cook in an oven preheated to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Cook until the fish is well-colored and bounces back when pressed. The fish in this video cooked for 45 minutes, but the pieces were quite large.

Fried catfish, and this not quite fried catfish recipe, goes great with coleslaw, greens, and hush puppies. I’m usually too lazy to make all of that; often I’ll just serve catfish with coleslaw and garlic toast, but however you serve it, it’s a nice catfish course, and pretty easy to make.

Here’s a simple, no-frills coleslaw recipe, which means it’s delicious, because nothing tastes great like a classic coleslaw, especially if you’re pairing it with catfish or fried chicken. Coleslaw can also be used as a sandwich topping, perfect for burgers, or anything BBQ.

coleslaw is the perfect side for catfish, chicken, and ribs…and makes a great sandwich topping, too.

Coleslaw Recipe Directions:

Shred the cabbage and carrot and combine in a large bowl. Sometimes, for a more rustic coleslaw, I’ll chop the cabbage with a knife for chunkier pieces, like in this slaw video, but that’s a different kinda dish, and not what I think of when I want a basic coleslaw to pair with traditional southern-style dishes.
Add onion to the bowl. I’m using about 3 chopped green onions, but use any kinda onion you like.
For the dressing, combine the rest of the ingredients in a smaller bowl and mix until smooth and creamy.
I like using fresh lemon juice and zest, but use vinegar if you prefer; I like a mild rice vinegar with coleslaw.
My measurements for salt and pepper are only suggestions, so definitely adjust to taste.
And don’t use plain-Jane yellow mustard, spring for a fancy dijon or grey poupon!
Combine the dressing with the cabbage, carrot, and onion and toss well.
And that’s it.
Coleslaw is a must-have for fried catfish or chicken. Gotta have it with ribs! And coleslaw makes an excellent sandwich topping, too; add to hamburgers, sloppyjoes, or any kind of BBQ sandwich.

Give this classic coleslaw recipe a try and let me know what you think…and bon appétit!

This roasted garlic recipe is easy to prepare and there are a zillion uses for roasted garlic, like a spread for bread, which I do in this video for a quick crostini idea.
Roasted garlic makes a great addition to rice, potato, and quinoa dishes, jams, salad dressings…most things are better with a little garlic.

Roasted Garlic Recipe Ingredients:

GARLIC
SALT
PEPPER
OLIVE OIL
…plus herbs and spices if you like

For Crostini:
BREAD
FETA CHEESE
CAPERS
KALAMATA OLIVES

use roasted garlic to make a quick crostini

Roasted Garlic Recipe Directions:

When buying, choose garlic bulbs that are firm and have an intact “papery” outer covering. Avoid soft bulbs, or bulbs that have give and seem overly dry and desiccated. Buy bigger bulbs with bigger cloves! Peeling garlic is a semi-pain, so make it easier on yourself and choose the largest cloves available.

Remove the papery outer covering and separate the cloves.
Do you have a secret tip (that really works!) for quickly peeling garlic cloves? If so, please let me know! I’ve found that the best way for me is the tried and true one-at-a-time method: just give each clove a gentle whack, enough to break the peel, and then remove the skin.
Place peeled cloves on a sheet of aluminum foil.

Drizzle with olive oil. It doesn’t have to be a lot, just enough to coat the cloves.
Add salt and pepper to taste, and any dried herbs or seasonings you like. I usually add a little thyme.
Stir and coat the cloves in the oil and seasonings and then close up the aluminum foil like a Hershey’s Kiss.
Place on a baking sheet and slide into an oven preheated to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Bake 30-40 minutes and they’ll be soft and ready for use.

Raw garlic is super strong with a burning bite, but roasting mellows out the bite and transforms the garlic into a tasty treat that can be popped into your mouth whole. I usually eat a handful of cloves when they’re right out of the oven–I can’t help myself!
Warm roasted garlic is great on a crostini, which is really just a fancy piece of toast.
Toast slices of French bread and smear on the warm garlic cloves like butter. Top with feta cheese, capers, and kalamata olives for a quick treat.

Use roasted garlic as a spread for sandwiches.
Mix into mashed potatoes or rice dishes (or quinoa).
Add roasted garlic to salads or mash into salad dressings.
Add to jams, and gravies, and guacamole.
Mix with butter for garlic bread.
Add roasted garlic to anything; it’s a great item to have in the fridge.
Store refrigerated and it will keep several days, store in a jar refrigerated and covered with oil, and it will keep a little longer,but there are so many uses for roasted garlic, it will be very easy to find ways to quickly use it up.
Give this roasted garlic recipe a try and let me know what you think, and bon appétit!

Try this creamy, New England-style Fish Chowder recipe. I use half and half in this dish, but use heavy cream if you like. I also use cod as the primary ingredient, but add additional seafood and you’ve got seafood chowder!–Amazing!

Fish Chowder Recipe Directions:

Heat a large pot and add chopped bacon.
When bacon is cooked, add onion, celery, and hot pepper (optional) and saute for 2-3 minutes.
Add black pepper (fresh cracked is ideal), oregano, and thyme. Mix ingredients and cook another minute.
Add chopped potato and carrot, cover with water (use half water half chicken or veggie stock if desired), and add bay leaf. Stir, cover and raise pot to a boil, then reduce and simmer approx. 10 minutes, or until the potatoes soften (but not mushy!).

Add fish (or a variety of seafood if you like). Cod or halibut are commonly used fish in chowders.
Return pot to boil, then reduce and simmer about 5 minutes.
In a small mixing bowl, add clam juice and flour and mix well.
Stir this into the pot and cook 2 minutes until chowder thickens.

Turn off the heat and add half and half or heavy cream. I don’t put too much in myself, cause I don’t like my chowder too milky,but add a little extra if you like.
And that’s it. Top with a sprinkle of parsley or chives and serve with crackers or thick-sliced bread.
Ideally it’ll sit a few hours before you eat it, or even the next day–soups and stews are always better the next day,although I rarely plan that far ahead–still it’s a lot of chowder and you might have leftovers since it’s a big pot.

It’s easy to make and I hope you like it.
Give this fish chowder recipe a try and let me know what you think…and bon appétit!

What is more awesome than a Thai rice recipe? Thai quinoa! Quinoa provides a complete protein, so you’ll get more bang for your buck by substituting quinoa in this simple, yet delicious Thai-style dish.

Quinoa Thai Rice Recipe Directions:

Heat olive oil in a large skillet on medium high. Add chopped onion, garlic, and ginger. Saute for 3-4 minutes until ingredients begin to soften. Add chili-garlic sauce, turmeric, and salt to taste. Mix well and continue sauteing for another minute.
Add quinoa and stir well.
In a measuring cup, add one can of coconut milk, and then add additional water to bring the liquid to 2½ cups. Pour the coconut/water mixture into the skillet and mix well with the quinoa.
Stir in the minced lemongrass.
Raise the skillet temperature and bring ingredients to a boil.
Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and let dish cook undisturbed for 15 minutes.

Pair a simple salad with Thai Quinoa for a complete meal.

While the quinoa cooks, chop cucumber and tomato into a bowl. Use a cucumber with a thin, edible skin, it’s a great texture for this dish. Add fresh chopped ginger and cilantro, salt and pepper to taste, and a generous amount of rice vinegar; the tartness of the vinegar adds a great contrast to the coconut creaminess of the quinoa. Thoroughly mix the salad ingredients and set aside.
Once the quinoa has simmered for 15 minutes, remove from the heat and let sit 5 to 10 minutes. Fluff the quinoa with a fork and add fresh chopped cilantro; if you’re not a fan of cilantro, basil makes an excellent substitute.
Serve quinoa in a bowl with the cucumber/tomato salad.
It’s crazy creamy and awesome recipe. So simple and delicious, and makes a great meal. Definitely give this Thai rice quinoa recipe a try and let me know what you think, and bon appétit!

This Ginger Baked Pears recipe is a simple and delicious dessert idea. It’s easy to prep and put together. Just throw it together, throw it in the oven, and forget about it…well, almost forget about it–you’ll need to baste the pears a couple of times while they bake. This baked pear dish will be a crowd pleaser for any fancy meal.

Baked Pears Directions:

Use a firm pear ideal for baking, like an anjou or bosc pear.
Peel the pears and slice in half lengthwise and remove the core–use 3-4 pears, depending on need and the size of your baking dish.
Lightly butter the bottom of your baking dish and place the pears sliced side down.
In a bowl, combine the cream, sugar (use superfine baker’s sugar, or regular sugar that has been ground in a food processor),
cinnamon, vanilla, ginger, and orange zest. Whisk ingredients together and pour over the pears. The top half of the pears should
still be sticking out of the cream.
Slice the dish into an oven preheated to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Remove the dish every 15-20 minutes and baste the tops of the pears with the cream.
Cook 45-55 minutes or until the pear tops are a golden brown.

Baked pears with Cream Sauce!

The cream will be thin when hot, but as it cools it will thicken. Serve pears with a topping of the cream sauce.
For a crunch, add toasted nuts–and a little whipped cream on top would be quite decadent.
I threw maraschino cherries on top for color, but a little more orange zest on top would work, too.
Give this Baked Pears recipe a try and let me know what you think!

Buffalo Chicken Pizza Recipe Directions:
As far as the amounts of ingredients goes…just follow your heart. I suggest going heavy on the toppings. A lot of celery doesn’t sound fun, but the overall contrast of tastes and textures is what makes this pizza delicious, so use lots of everything–including hot sauce–the hotter the better! The dairy in the blue cheese chunks and dressing will balance the heat.

Chop up some cooked chicken–use leftovers or just cook up a breast or two for topping. I like nice chicken chunks, about ½” square–but shred it if you like–it’s your pizza, man.

Drench the chopped chicken in hot sauce and set aside.

Chop up celery into ¼” thick pieces.

In a bowl combine a nice blue cheese dressing with blue cheese crumbles, about a 50/50 mixture. The result should be the consistency of a cottage cheese.

If you wanna make a pizza dough from scratch, God bless you. CG does, and it’s nice. I’m too lazy, and I actually prefer flat bread. I like pita bread–or any kind of flat bread. I’ve never tried naan, but it sounds good to me.

Spread the blue cheese dressing/crumbles over the flat bread. Spread it thick and even, almost to the edge–leave about a ¼” for a crust.

Generously top pizza with the hot sauce chicken chunks and celery.

Cover with shredded mozzarella cheese.

Place on an ungreased baking sheet and cook in a pre-heated oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges of the flat bread are crisped to your liking.

And that’s it! Hope you like it.

Give this Buffalo Chicken Pizza Recipe a try and let me know what you think, and bon appétit!

Jalapeno Popper Directions:
Remove cream cheese from the fridge to soften for half an hour.

In a skillet on medium heat, brown 8 oz of lean ground beef–the leaner the better–you don’t want your poppers to be overly greasy! As the beef browns add onions, worcestershire sauce, and salt and pepper to taste. As soon as the beef browns, take the skillet off the heat and allow it to cool, because you don’t want to add hot beef to your cheese mixture…it’ll just be a mess.

While your seasoned beef cools, prepare the poppers. Carefully slice off the very end of the stems, leaving the interior off the jalapeno intact. Slice the pepper legthwise in half. Using a small spoon, scoop out the seeds and ridges, being careful to leave the end of the jalapeno intact–it’ll make a kind of canoe shape.

In a bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, the cooled beef, and ½ cup of your favorite shredded cheeseburger cheeses (we like using blue cheese, cheddar, and monterey jack…although I think blue cheese is best!). Thouroughly mix. It’ll be a semi-unattractive bowl of meat-cheese…but that’s okay, it’ll look better in the pepper.

Using a spoon, stuff the jalapeno halves with the cheese and beef mix. Don’t overstuff, just to the top of the pepper.

Spread breadcrumbs on a flat surface, and press the cheesy side of the stuffed pepper into the breadcrumbs to form a coating.

Arrange poppers on a baking sheet and bake in a 400 degree F oven for about 25 minutes.

After about 25 minutes, after once some of the breadcrumb toppings have begun to brown, remove the poppers from the oven and top with additional cheese. I love using blue cheese for this part! –it is delicious–but feel free to use whatever cheese you love (although blue cheese is seriously the best). Return poppers to the oven for 5-10 minutes or until cheese is melted, and then serve. Hope you like it!

Give this jalapeno popper recipe a try and let me know what you think, and bon appétit!

Toast Hawaii is an open-faced sandwich popular in Germany. It is traditionally comprised of lightly toasted white bread which is then buttered and topped with thinly sliced ham, a pineapple slice, a cheese slice, and a maraschino cherry –so it’s really a deluxe toasted cheese. Check out the video below to see how me and CG first put together a traditional Toast Hawaii and then build a fancy-pants version of the German favorite.

Both versions were alright…fancy-pants was definitely my favorite, but overall, pineapple plays too big a role in Toast Hawaii; I think pineapple should stay where it belongs –on the bottom of an upside down cake, or on a pizza (of course, there was a time when I didn’t think it belonged on a pizza…and then I ran into the right pineapple pizza.) So give a version of Toast Hawaii a try and see what you think.

A traditional German Toast Hawaii sandwich

if you feel like having a sandwich with a little more heft, try this awesome Bánh mì Burger.

This edamame brown rice recipe is super flavorful, filling, a great side dish, and delicious hot or cold. If you buy frozen soy beans for this dish, make sure they are thawed before using –and shelled!– shelled edamame is called mukimame.

How to make Make Edamame with Brown Rice

In a saucepan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Saute ginger and garlic for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Remove garlic and ginger from pan and set aside (I’ve tried skipping this step, and just continued cooking the garlic and ginger along with the rice, but it’s not as flavorful, so it’s definitely worth setting the garlic and ginger aside to add to the dish later). In same pan (without rinsing), bring 1½ cups lightly salted water to a boil. Add rice, reduce to a low simmer; cover and cook, 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, stir in thawed, shelled edamame (mukimame!); cover and cook until rice is tender and mukimame is heated through, about 15 to 20 minutes.
In a small bowl, combine lime juice, vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, and sugar and stir until sugar is dissolved.
Remove rice and beans from the stove and add ginger, garlic, lime juice mixture, scallions, cilantro and sesame seeds. Mix well and add additional salt and pepper as desired.
and that’s it, dude.
Give this edamame brown rice recipe a try and let me know what you think, and bon appétit!

directions:
Cut 1 lb. of boneless, skinless chicken into ½”-1″ pieces and place in a bowl. Season meat with salt and pepper to taste, then add 1 Tbsp soy sauce and 1 Tbsp cornstarch. Toss chicken with ingredients until the chicken pieces are coated, then set aside in the fridge.
In a small bowl, combine all of the ingredients listed above for the sauce. Stir until all ingredients are mixed well, and then set aside.
On med. high heat, In a large skillet, heat 3 Tbsp of oil (peanut or canola, or a mix of oil with sesame oil). Add red pepper flakes (or fresh chopped hot peppers), minced garlic, and minced ginger, and stir for a few moments while the garlic colors. Add the coated chicken. Stir and allow the chicken to cook quickly. Brown all sides and cook until chicken is nearly done.
Add chopped bottoms from green onions, diced red pepper (red or orange bell peppers look very nice with this dish), chopped celery, and diced zucchini. Stir with chicken for 2 minutes and then add sauce. Keeping the skillet on med. high, the sauce will bubble and thicken quickly; stir 1-2 minutes and then add peanuts. Stir 1 more minute, then mix in green onion tops. Remove from heat and serve over rice.
And that’s it–an Americanized version of a classic Chinese Kung Pao Chicken Recipe. Give this dish a try and let me know what you think…and bon appétit!

Why eat raw kale salad? Kale is a so-called SUPERfood chock full of big-time nutrition and very fashionable in salad circles, so if you wanna be one of the cool kids, ya gotta eat it. If the Popeye franchise is ever re-booted, I’m sure our vegetable-friendly sailor will be shunning spinach and downing kale by the bunches–not that there’s anything wrong with spinach, but at the moment the kale lobby is a juggernaut.
Check out this video for tips on making a raw kale salad:

Kale Nutrition and Fun Facts:
Kale belongs to the same family as cabbage, Brussels sprouts, and collards.
Kale is packed with antioxidants, which help neutralize harmful free radicals in the body.
One cup of chopped raw kale provides more than 100% of the daily value of vitamins A, C, and K.
In fact, Kale has more vitamin C than an orange.
Free Radicals are a thing scientists made up to sound smart.
Baked kale becomes crispy and can be substituted for potato chips.
Kale freezes well for future use.
Kale is a great addition to a soup.
Kale is believed to promote cell repair and may block the growth of cancer cells.

Wow…doesn’t that sound terrific? Who could pass up on that! Too bad kale doesn’t taste like a slice of coconut cream pie, but you can’t have everything. It is a tasty addition to a salad, though–and utilizing raw kale will insure the greatest health benefit from this leafy superfood.

Cook Chinese Eggplant for a terrific vegetarian meal that will not having you missing the meat. For this Chinese eggplant dish, I use a sauce similar to one I use making General Tso’s Chicken, so it’s a rich and filling eggplant dish, hearty and vegetarian at the same time.

how to cook Chinese Eggplant Recipe with General Tso’s Sauce

In a small bowl, combine all of the sauce ingredients. The fresh minced ginger is optional, but if you love ginger, why not? I also use 2 heaping Tbsp of brown sugar, but you can use more or less sugar depending on how much sweet you like–but the sweet is good with this recipe. Mix the sauce ingredients well and then set aside.
Cut your Chinese eggplant. You should buy firm eggplant with glossy, unblemished skins. Cut into pieces approx. 2″ long and ½” wide.
In a skillet or wok, heat olive oil on med. high heat. When the oil is hot, add eggplant. Saute eggplant 5-7 minutes. The eggplant will soak up the oil, so add more oil as needed or desired. Saute until the eggplant colors and begins to soften and then remove eggplant from the skillet. In the same hot skillet, add sesame oil and heat. Add garlic, hot pepper, and cashew nuts (or sub peanuts). Saute for 1 minute or until garlic colors. Add sauce and green onion bottoms. Stir sauce slowly. Because of the added corn starch, the sauce will quickly heat through, darken, and thicken. When the sauce has thicken to a a gravy/syrup consistency, return the eggplant to the skillet. Mix well, then cover the skillet and allow to simmer until the eggplant has finished cooking, 3-5 minutes depending on the size of the eggplant pieces. Stir in green onion tops. Fresh chopped cilantro also adds an excellent taste and garnish.
And that’s a very tasty way to cook Chinese eggplant.
Serve with rice, or without rice…and enjoy.
And for a tasty General Tso’s Chicken Recipe, click the pic below.click pic for recipe
Thanks for checking the recipe out. If you liked it, click a few buttons below and share it with your friends, I appreciate it.
–Chef Buck

Heat olive oil on med. high heat in a deep skillet or wide-bottom pot. Add onion and garlic and saute. As the onion begins to soften, add bay leaf, salt, chili powder, cayene pepper, and paprika. Stir well and continue sauteing ingredients for 4-5 minutes. Add chorizo sausage–use UNCOOKED chorizo links; slice the links in the casing, about ½ inch wide pieces. Cook the sausage with the onions for 5 minutes and then add tomato (3 diced roma tomatoes or 14oz can diced tomatoes). Mix tomato with onion and then add potato. I like to leave the skin on the potato mainly because it tastes GOOD. And then you don’t have to peel the potatoes either, which is good, too. The potato should be cut up into good sizes, about 1″ pieces, so that you’ll have some good chunks of potato after the dish stews. Cover the skillet and bring the dish up to a bubble. Reduce the heat to a simmer and add dried thyme. Cover, and let simmer for about 30 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked through–stirring occasionally as needed. And that’s it. Give it a taste and add a little more salt and seasoning as desired. Garnish this chorizo recipe with fresh chopped parsley, cilantro, or green onion…and enjoy!

Use any berries you like for this cobbler dessert–it’s a cobbler, but with a little twist on the batter–we’re pairing Quick-cook Oatmeal along with the flour. This recipe doesn’t make a huge amount, but it’s perfect for about 4 human-sized portions–just double the recipe for a bigger dessert. We’re using blackberries because we’ve got fresh ones.
To start, put your berries in a bowl and add 2-4 Tbsp of sugar–if desired–if your berries are already sweet enough, don’t bother with the added sugar. Add corn starch and toss with the berries and set aside.
In a second bowl, combine your Quick Oats, all-purpose flour, baking powder, and sugar. Mix Thoroughly, then cut butter into the mix. Stir until the butter is integrated into the mix, then add 1 beaten egg, vanilla extract, and milk. We’re using almond milk, but use whatever kind of milk you like. Stir ingredients together.
Grease an 8×8 oven friendly dish (we’re using an 8″ deep dish pie tin with a little butter spray). Spread the berry mixture evenly on the bottom of the dish, and then top the berries with spoonfuls of the batter. Don’t worry about spreading the batter neatly, spoon it evenly around the top and it will spread evenly in the oven. Place the dish in an oven pre-heated to 350 degrees F and let bake for about 30 minutes until the topping is a golden brown. If your cooking dish is particularly small, place it on a baking sheet or tinfoil to catch any drippings.
Let the cobbler cool for 10-15 minutes and then serve with ice cream (or without ice cream, but that would be crazy).

This blackberry cobbler recipe works great in an 8″ deep dish pie tin.

For another great dessert, try this delicious but deadly Scone Recipe.

Try this quick, creamy shrimp curry recipe for a change of taste. It’s super fast to prepare and kinda/sorta healthy–I usually serve this shrimp curry with rice and top with fresh chopped cilantro. Don’t be shy adding hot peppers, since the yogurt sauce and rice will absorb a lot of any heat added.

In a small bowl, combine Greek yogurt with cinnamon, clove, cardamom, mango powder, coriander, and corn starch. Mix ingredients well until the yogurt is smooth. Heat olive oil in a skillet and add mustard seeds and finely chopped peppers. Use as much or little pepper as you like–if you’ve got fresh peppers that’s great, but red pepper flakes make a decent substitute. After 1 minute, add yogurt sauce to the skillet. Stir well and bring to a light bubble and let simmer 2 minutes. Adjust stovetop temperature as needed. Add shrimp, already peeled and deveined. Mix with sauce and return skillet to a simmer. Let cook 4-5 minutes, stirring as needed, until shrimp are pink and done–try not to overcook your shrimp ’cause that’s sad.
Salt dish as desired and remove from heat. Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro and serve with rice. It’s best to cook your rice ahead of time, since this creamy shrimp curry takes very little time to prepare. Give it a try and let me know what you think, and bon appetit!

This canned artichoke heart recipe is quick and tasty and easily prepared. And if you use quick-cook Chinese flat noodles, from start to finish–including prep time–this dish only takes about 10 minutes to make.

In a large skillet on medium-high heat, add olive oil and most of the butter. When oil is hot, add onion and garlic and saute until onions begin to soften (for a spicier dish, add a minced chili pepper in with the onion). Add artichoke hearts, capers and salt to taste and continue sauteing for 2-3 minutes. Occasionally I’ll add the juice and zest of ½ a lemon, which is a pretty tasty option, so definitely give it a try sometime. Add any remaining butter to the skillet. I know, it seems like a lot of butter and oil, but that’s one of the reasons it’s so damn good–and it’s an Italian-style dish, so go figure. Add cooked pasta to the skillet. I like to use quick-cook chinese flat noodles since it’s easy to time with the cooking of the sauce, but use any kind of pasta you like, just allow enough time for cooking. And for a wetter sauce, add a little bit of the pasta water to the skillet. Mix pasta and sauce in skillet and then serve immediately. Garnish with fresh chopped parsely or thyme–or just add a few more capers. Serve with parmesan cheese if desired. It’s a quick, easy artichoke heart recipe and a great use of canned artichoke hearts.
Give the recipe a try and let me know what you think, and bon appetit!

Thai Beef Salad is an easy recipe to prepare with lots of room for nuance, i.e., using whatever the hell you have in the fridge. I like to use sirloin steak since it’s a good piece of meat that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg and you can generally buy a nice cut that makes for good slicing. Season your steak up well, don’t overcook it, and let it rest well before slicing–these 3 steps are key for a great steak salad.

How to Make a Thai Beef Salad

First, mix up your dressing. Lemon grass is a key component in many Thai dishes and makes a nice addition to this steak salad. Cut off the upper leaves of the stalk and the very bottom,leaving about 5-6 inches. This is generally the only part of the lemon grass used in recipes and is sometimes sold already cut into these sections in grocery stores. The outer part of the stalk is often very tough, so cut away the outer layers to reveal the softer core. Finely mince about an inch of the lemon grass core and add it into a bowl. Add finely chopped ginger, chili paste, lime juice, salt, and mix ingredients well. Set dressing aside and season sirloin steak.
Season both sides of the steak well–I like salt, pepper, and chili powder–but use whatever seasonings you desire (and season it well!). Heat oil in a skillet and cook the steak quickly on high heat, turning once and sealing the juices inside. Do not overcook the steak or puncture it with a knife or fork. Set the steak aside to rest at least 10-15 minutes, this will keep the juices from running when the steak is sliced.
While the steak rests, preare the salad. Use whatever greens you desire, but don’t use so much salad that the steak becomes just another component–allow the steak to be the star of the dish.
Tear salad greens into a bowl and add thinly cut carrots, cucumber matchsticks, chopped green onions, and chopped cilantro (also try fresh chopped basil and mint). Add salad dressing and toss.
Cutting against the grain of the meat, slice steak into thin strips and add to the salad. Add any juices from the steak and toss salad.
Garnish with toasted sesame seeds, and that’s it, man.
Enjoy.

For a great Thai beef salad– season the steak well, don’t overcook it, and let the meat rest before slicing!

For another great meal, try this Juicy Pork Loin Recipe!
If you enjoyed the recipe, please click some of the buttons below to share it with your friends and family, thanks!
–Chef Buck

This green bean recipe reminds me of the green beans we sometimes get out at Chinese restaurants; I’m not a fan of green beans, but if I gotta eat them, I like them like this or in a green bean casserole. This dish is pretty simple to make and has a lot of nice nutritional stuff in it–you can forego the butter if you want and just use oil–but you’re already eating green beans, so isn’t that punishment enough?

Green Bean Recipe Directions:
I’m not a fan of green beans, but this recipe is a quick way to make them edible.
First, trim the green beans by “snapping” off the ends–fresh beans will snap easily, and if there is a fiborous, stringy seam along the bean, this can be pulled off as well. Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil and add the green beans. Allow to cook 2-3 minutes, the longer the beans are in the water, the softer they will get (duh)…but why overcook them? They’re already awful green beans, so you might as well get some nutrition out of them.
Remove the beans from the hot water and place in an ice bath for 1 minute. This is called blanching–it stops the cooking process, keeps the beans crisp and maintains the bright, green color of the beans. After a minute, drain the beans.
While the beans drain, heat olive oil and butter in a skillet. Add sliced onion, garlic, ginger, and chili peppers and saute for 2 minutes. Add drained green beans and continue cooking another 2 minutes. To finish, add soy sauce and sesame oil and mix well, then remove skillet from the heat. That’s it, man–serve ’em hot. And garnish the dish with toasted sesame seeds for optimal flavor potential.
Enjoy.

Try this great Nachos Supreme Recipe. It’s a super grande-sized platter of nacho heaven.
We use ground beef for this nachos recipe, but if you skip the meat and just use beans–it’ll still be pretty damn tasty. The key to great nachos recipe is a great nacho filling, so spice up your bean and beef mixture just right
and build your nacho castle on a tasty foundation.

On a large baking sheet (pizza pan works great!), spread out corn tortilla chips–thicker, sturdier chips work best.

Spoon and sprinkle the ground beef mixture over the chips.

Top nachos with diced tomato, sliced jalapenos, black olives, and the chopped bottoms of the green onions.

Sprinkle the top with cheese.

Slide the baking sheet into the oven (pre-heated at 400 degrees F) and let cook approx. 15 minutes
or until the cheese is melted and the nachos heated through.

Remove from the oven and top with chopped green onion tops and cilantro.

Serve with sour cream, salsa, or guacamole and eat ’em while they’re hot.

World’s Best Nachos Recipe?

This is a fantastic Nachos Supreme dish, and a giant pizza pan makes a great dish for cooking and serving.

This is a GREAT Mexican dish. Definitely give it a try, you’ll love it. If you enjoyed the video and recipe, please use the buttons below to share this nachos recipe with your friends. Thanks!
And for more bean fun, try Spicy BBQ Beans!

Here’s a quick, spicy chickpea recipe that makes a great salad topping and a so-so snack; it’s a lot easier on your teeth than baked chickpea snacks, which I find to be almost inedible (they tend to turn into tiny rocks).

Rinse and drain a 15oz can of chickpeas (garbanzo beans). In a skillet, heat olive oil on medium heat. When the oil is hot, add chickpeas–be sure that they are drained well, since water and hot oil definitely do not mix. Saute chickpeas for 10-15 minutes; obviously, the longer they’re in the skillet, the crispier they will get, but it’ll take about 15 minutes to get them “crispy”. Once the chickpeas get near the doneness you desire, add salt, pepper, and spices. The spice combo in the recipe works well, but experiment with whatever spices you have–and don’t be shy with the spices–spice really makes this recipe work, and a good deal of the spice you use will remain in the skillet when you remove the chickpeas. Saute chickpeas and spices another 2-3 minutes and then remove from the heat.
Use them as a salad topping instead of croutons for a healthy crunch, or a just tasty snack, something to nibble on besides potato chips.
Enjoy!

Quinoa for dessert? If you like rice pudding, then give this quinoa recipe version a try; it’s super sweet and easy to make and yet another great way to include quinoa in your diet. Quinoa cooks up just like rice: one part quinoa to two parts water, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and then cook covered until water is absorbed. Quinoa acts like a grain, but it’s actually a seed–and a complete protein–so it’s a great addition to your diet if you’re trying to cut down on eating meats and rice. I like to make this dessert dish with cardamon, but it works well with ground nutmeg, too. Don’t skimp on the minced orange peel–I put 1 tsp in the written recipe, but I use a heaping teaspoon. And I always toast up coconut flakes and almond slices for a crunchy topping; of course you don’t have to use both, but it’s delicious–so definitely toast up one or the other–a crunchy topping makes rice pudding a treat (and quinoa pudding, too).

How to Make Rice Pudding with Quinoa

In a saucepan, combine 1 cup quinoa with 2 cups of water and a cinnamon stick. Bring pot to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover pot and let cook 12-15 minutes until the water is absorbed. Fluff and remove cinnamon stick and set aside. In a small saucepan, combine 14oz can coconut milk, minced ginger, and brown sugar. Slowly bring contents to a bubble, then reduce heat and continue stirring 5 minutes. Remove from eat. Add raisins, orange peel, and cardamom to quinoa (can sub nutmeg for cardamom). Mix well and then add coconut milk mixture. Stir, then cover and set aside to cool about 20-30 minutes. Serve warm or chill and serve cold. When serving, garnish with toasted almond slices or coconut (or both). The crunchiness of the toasted topping adds a great texture and I highly recommend giving it a try. The next time you’re in the mood for rice pudding, make quinoa pudding instead. Give this quinoa recipe a go and let me know what you think!
Enjoy!quinoa pudding recipeClick here to try another quinoa dish:Spanish-Style Quinoa Recipe

Thanks for checking out the recipe. If you liked it, then click a button below and share it with friends. Thanks…I appreciate it!
–Chef Buck

This easy, baked tilapia recipe will make even those big boring bags of tilapia fillets taste great –or any other less than stellar fillet of fish. Tilapia is not an exciting fish, but it’s often a pretty good buy relative to everything else in the seafood department. This recipe will turn tilapia–or any bargain fillet–into a super tasty, super moist side of aquatic splendor (too much?). Breading and frying always helps tilapia, but breading and baking will do the same, and it’s a lot less messy and a lot more moist–and healthier, too.

directions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
In a small cup, combine panko crumbs (or any breadcrumbs–panko just happens to be best, I think) with garlic powder, salt, pepper and 1/2 of the dill and mix.
In a separate bowl, combine the remaining dill, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard (not yellow mustard!) and lemon juice and stir until smooth.
Rinse and pat the fish fillets dry with paper towels. Spray a baking pan with cooking spray. Lay onion slices in pan and place fillets over
onions. Evenly brush the tops and sides of the fish with the mayonnaise mixture. Sprinkle and press the crumbs into the mayonnaise.
Place pan in oven and bake about 15 minutes until the crumb topping has turned a nice, golden brown. Serve with rice and veggies.
Give this tilapia recipe a try and let me know what you think, and bon appetit!

Frozen tilapia fillets are often a great bargain.This baked tilapia goes great with rice and sauteed veggies.

directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Mix frozen edamame beans (no need to thaw), olive oil, fresh-cracked black pepper, salt, garlic powder, and Parmesan cheese together in a large bowl. Try experimenting with different seasonings; substitute onion powder or chili powder for the garlic–or add them all–this is an easy snack food to change up for a little variety.
Spread mixture onto an ungreased baking sheet.
Place in oven and bake for 8-10 minutes and then remove from oven and stir. Spread edamame out again and cook another 8-10 minutes, until the cheese is toasted crispy and golden.
Add additional salt or garlic powder if desired.

Roasted edamame makes a great salad topping.

Eat as a quick snack–it is delicious hot out of the oven–or use as a topping for salads and whatnot.

Tastes great hot out of the oven–perfect for snacking. Try it as a movie treat instead of popcorn.

Give this roasted edamame recipe a try and let me know what you think, and bon appetit!

Roasted edamame or chickpeas are both great components in a salad. A super-flavorful and healthy salad ingredient is kale. It’s extremely versatile and can be eaten raw or cooked. Click on the video link below to discover some simple tips on using raw kale in your next salad.

Asparagus is one of those veggies you cook when you’re trying to impress–and this asparagus recipe will do the job. The lemon adds a nice zing while the whole fennel/mustard seeds add flavor and texture without overpowering the great taste of asparagus.

When buying asparagus, thin is better than thick. Choose firm spears. Avoid asparagus that have a wrinkled skin, or tips that are wet and greasy looking. Rinse and drain the asparagus spears, then chop into 1 inch pieces. When slicing, leave the tops of the spears intact so they don’t fall apart while cooking. Heat olive oil on medium heat in a skillet. When oil is hot, add mustard and fennel seeds and stir for 20-30 seconds–not long at all. Add garlic and ginger–a lot of ginger; I use about 1 inch, thinly sliced–about the size of a fish scale. Stir skillet 1 minute, lower heat if necessary.
Stir in asparagus. Add salt and pepper to taste. I like my asparagus to retain a bit of crunch–who likes mushy asparagus?–so this dish doesn’t take long to cook. Saute for about 4 minutes and the dish will be done. From the time you add the seeds to completion, the cooking time will only be about 5 minutes–of course you can extend the cooking time if YOU DO like softer asparagus (crazy!)–but everybody likes what they like, so namaste, man. About a minute before the dish is done, add the lemon zest. When the asparagus is crunchy or soft the way you like it, and you’re ready to get it off the heat, add the lemon juice, stir, and serve.
It’s a tasty asparagus dish and a perfect side for a nice steak (or whatever).
Give this asparagus recipe a try and let me know what you think, and bon appétit!

In a small pot, bring 1/2 cup quinoa and 1 cup water to a boil. Reduce heat and allow to simmer 13-15 minutes until water is absorbed.
Remove from heat, fluff with fork, and set aside.
In a large skillet, heat olive oil on med high heat. Add onion, garlic, and hot pepper and saute for 3-4 minutes. Add Spices and mix well–and if you are a slave to the spice–don’t be afraid to add a little more. Add can of coconut and stir thoroughly, mixing completely with the spices and onion. Let coconut milk heat, and then add ginger, carrot, cauliflower, and bell peppers. Continue stirring, adding salt and pepper to taste. Bring ingredients to a bubble, then reduce heat, cover, and allow skillet to simmer for 5 minutes.
After 5 minutes, uncover and add cabbage.
Add quinoa.
Stir and allow another minute or two until veggies are cooked to your liking. Add fresh basil or cilantro and remove from heat.
Garnish with ground peanuts and serve immediately.
…and that’s a quinoa curry recipe with a little taste of Thai thrown in for good measure. Give the recipe a go and let me know what you think, and bon appetit!

Set out butter to soften and egg to come to room temperature.
Combine sugars, butter, vanilla extract, and egg in a bowl and mix well; you can use a mixer if you like, but I never have–just stir with a spoon to a smooth-ish consistency, do it as well as you can and that will likely be good enough (most things in life are like that, I find).
In another bowl, add flour, salt and baking soda (just ½ tsp BAKING SODA, if you add too much the cookies will be bitter, dude). Add chocolate chips and nuts–or if you don’t want nuts, just add chips–but that would be nuts. Mix ingredients well.
Add the sugar/butter combo to the dry ingredients and mix until incorporated. The dough should stick together when pressed.
Arrange spoonfuls of dough on an ungreased cookie sheet–about two inches apart. The recipe makes about 18-22 cookies, I usually get 17 or 18 cookies, cause I like mine kinda big.
Slide cookie sheet into an oven heated at 350 degrees F and let bake 10-12 minutes. When cookies are brown around the edges and lightly golden on top, they’re finito. Cool on cooling rack or eat them hot out of the oven with a glass of milk or a White Russian, depending on how your day is going.
Give this easy chocolate chip cookies recipe a try and let me know what you think, and bon appetit!

Sift 5 ½ cups of unbleached bread flour. Bread flour has a higher gluten count than all-purpose flour; gluten holds in the gases released by the yeast, enabling the bread to rise.
In a bowl, add 2 cups of warm water (approx 130 degrees F). Add 2 Tbsp olive oil, sugar, milk powder, salt, and yeast. Mix well.
1 cup at a time, add the sifted flour into the bowl until the dough thickens. Do not add all of the dough into the bowl. As soon as the dough in the bowl reaches a density forming a sticky ball, remove dough from the bowl and place onto a surface coated with flour. Continue adding the sifted flour to the ball, turning and folding the flour into the dough ball. Continue this kneading process for 8-10 minutes, adding dough as needed (the entire 5 ½ cups may not be needed). Kneading transforms the dough into a more elastic consistency, enabling the gluten in the dough to better trap the gases from the yeast.
After kneading, place the dough into a bowl coated with 1 Tbsp of olive oil. The bowl should be at least twice the size of the dough ball. Cover bowl and set aside for 45-60 minutes to allow the dough to rise. The dough will expand to approx. double in size.
When dough has risen, push a floured fist into the top of the dough—this will release the gas. Remove dough from bowl and divide into equal halves (equal halves will cook equally in the oven).
With a rolling pin, spread one of the dough halves into a square approx. 9 X 14 inches. Spread ½ cup of prepared pesto evenly over the flattened dough. Sprinkle top with ½ cup shredded, parmesan cheese. Roll up the dough and toppings into a 14 inch “burrito” shape, folding and pinching the ends shut. With a sharp knife, cut lengthwise down the center of the rolled bread, creating halves. Cut gingerly, being mindful not crush the layers of dough, and leave one of the very ends attached so as to not separate the halves completely. Fold the bread halves into a braid. Keep the cut sides of dough facing upward.
Coat a loaf pan with olive oil and sprinkle the bottom of the pan with a light dusting of corn meal; this will help keep the bread from sticking to the bottom of the pan as it bakes. Transfer braided bread “face-up” into pan and cover.
Repeat this processes with the other dough half and then set the 2 loaf pans aside for 1 hour to allow them to continue to rise.
After the loaves have risen, place them in an oven pre-heated to 375 degrees F and bake approx. 35-40 minutes.
Remove bread from oven. Parmesan cheese and pesto may be melted to the inside of the pan and you may need to cut around the edges of the pan with a knife. Remove loaves and place on a cooling rack, but don’t let the bread cool for too long before cutting off a slice—it’s delicious warm.
Give this Parmesan Pesto Bread Recipe a try and let me know what you think, and bon appétit.

The definitive origin of the doughnut is unclear, but in Charlottesville, Va, they’ve been cooking up delicious donuts at Spudnuts since the late 1960’s.

At one time, Spudnuts was the largest doughnut chain in the United States, now only a few independently operated shops remain. We enjoyed the food and friendly folks at Spudnuts in Charlottesville.

Doughnut Fun Facts:
–At one time, Spudnuts was the largest donut chain in the United States
–Since 1982, the first Friday of June is National Doughnut Day
–The largest doughnut on record weighed 1.7 tons and was 16 feet in diameter (and it was a jelly donut, too)
–According to Merriam-Webster, “doughnut” and “donut” are both acceptable spellings for doughnuts (or donuts)
–Americans eat more than 10 billion doughnuts every year
–The 1st automated donut-making machine was invented in 1920 in New York City (it was featured at the 1934 World’s Fair in Chicago)
–During World War I, female Salvation Army workers handed out donuts to soldiers and became known as “Doughnut Girls”
–generally speaking, donuts have fewer calories than bagels or croissants

This Chinese eggplant recipe is awesome because it’s purple–not purple like a black eye–but purple like Barney the Dinosaur, which is nice.

Choose eggplants that are firm and have a glossy skin. The skin is thin and tasty, and Chinese eggplants have smaller seeds than the black, bowling ball eggplant you might be used to preparing. They’re a great ingredient for a stir-fry and can stand in for meat without being as awful as tofu. So give ’em a try.

Heat olive oil on medium high heat. When oil is hot, add garlic and ginger. Add mustard seeds and coriander powder and sauté 2 minutes. Add chopped green onion bottoms and reserve the chopped green onion tops for later. Add hot pepper and continue sautéing for a couple minutes. Add sliced eggplant (with skin). Choose eggplants that are firm, glossy skinned, and heavy for their size. Slice into rounds no more than 1/4 inch thick. Add salt and stir eggplant. Stir for a few minutes. Add water as needed, but not too much, the eggplant will release water as it cooks. Reduce heat, cover and cook 10-12 minutes, stiring as needed. The eggplant will be ready when it is soft, but not falling apart. Mix in green onion tops and remove from heat. Add soy sauce or chili garlic sauce if desired. Serve as a main dish over pasta or rice (or on it’s own as a side dish).
Give this Chinese eggplant recipe a try and let me know what you think, and bon appétit!

Are conveyor belts better than waiters? We check out the sushi conveyor belt at Genki Sushi where sushi favorites glide right past the table; it’s a fun way to eat–and pretty affordable, too.

Kaiten-zushi is a sushi restaurant where plates move along a conveyor belt, winding through the restaurant and moving past every table and counter seat. Customers simply pick their selections from a steady stream of fresh sushi moving along the conveyor belt. The bill is based on the number and type of plates of the consumed sushi–often the plates are color coordinated by price. Some restaurants use creative conveyor belts that resemble “sushi boats” traveling small canals or miniature locomotive cars.

It’s a great place to eat on a budget because you can sample a variety of dishes without spending a lot of money–this is especially true if you’re eating out with friends. There is generally a wide price range based on the color of the plates, so choosing the right colors can get you filled up for the right price. The dishes circulating on the conveyor belt are both hot and cold, and not always sushi–some desserts and specialty drinks are thrown into the mix, too. Often the restaurant will offer the option to place special orders, but with such a varied choice of dishes winding it’s way right past your seat, it will be impossible to not grab something off of the sushi conveyor belt–which is the whole point, I guess.

Chop vegetables and place in 1 gallon size ziplock (except cilantro). Mix water, vinegar, sugar, and salt and pour over chopped veggies in ziplock. Seal and shake and then place in fridge, occasionally turning. On a baking sheet, spread out almond slices and broken ramen. Bake at 350 degrees F until toasted–watch carefully to avoid burning. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Remove ziplock from fridge and place vegetables in bowl. Toss with toasted nuts, ramen, and cilantro.

How to Make Stuffed Squash:

Preheat the oven to 400.
Toast the almonds.
Place the squash halves, cut side down, on a shallow pan with ¼ inch of water. Roast until the squash is easily pierced with a fork, about 30 – 40 minutes.
In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Stir in the garlic, ginger, and carrots, and cook 5 minutes. Mix in the garbanzo beans and raisins. Season with cumin, cinnamon, salt, and pepper, and continue stirring for another minute.
Add broth, simmer 5 minutes.
Stir in couscous, cover pot, and turn off heat. Allow couscous to absorb liquid for 5 minutes.
Stir in the almonds, green onions, and apple. Spoon the filling into the roasted squash, mounding generously and serve.
You can freeze leftovers (or make extras). Freeze by mashing the squash on the bottom of the container then adding the couscous mixture on top.
And that’s that.
Give this stuffed squash recipe a try and let me know what you think, and bon appétit!

Cha Lua, or Vietnamese ham, is a staple of the Vietnamese diet and often found on the table during Tét–the celebration of the New Year.

During a recent trip down to Little Saigon (on a bánh mi run), we randomly picked up a cha lua and brought it home to give it a try. It was pretty bland right out of the banana leaves, with a rubbery consistency–but these characteristics make it a pretty versatile ingredient in many dishes–much the same as tofu, but a meat version. I ended up slicing and marinating the ham in chili and soy sauce with curry and garlic powder and frying up the slices to make an awesome bánh mi burger–which was delicious; I will definitely be making again in the near future.

Take a look at the exceptionally delicious Bánh Mì Hamburger made with cha lua.

What makes a bánh mì taste like a bánh mì? The toppings! This bánh mì hamburger is a fusion of Thai and American styles to create a truly awesome burger experience–one of the best hamburgers I’ve ever eaten!

I whipped up a couple versions of this delicious French/Vietnamese sandwich using ground beef and cha lua (Vietnamese ham). It was fantastic–this combo of ingredients is soooo addictive. Use fresh toppings, and don’t be shy about piling them on. Give it a go and let me know what you think.

Bahn Mi Hamburger Ingredients:
1 lb. ground BEEF
hamburger BUNS
DAIKON (shredded)
CARROTS (shredded)
salad CUCUMBER (sliced)
fresh CILANTRO
1/4 cup ONION (minced)
JALAPENO (sliced)
1 cup VINEGAR
1/2 cup WATER
1/3 cup SUGAR
2 Tbsp SOY SAUCE
MAYONNAISE
SALT and PEPPER to tasteBest Burger Bánh Mì
First things first, throw together a daikon/carrot pickle. This is a great combo that you can use on all kinds of sandwiches and salads. Heat a small sauce pan on low heat and add vinegar, water, and sugar. Stir until sugar dissolves, then set aside to chill in the fridge. Cut or shred equal parts carrot and daikon into strings. Place veggies in container and cover with chilled pickling solution. The longer the daikon and carrot pickle, the more flavorful it will be. This pickle will last for a couple of weeks in the fridge.
Cut any variety of salad cucumber into thin, sandwich slices. A salad cucumber has a thin skin that is quite edible with little to no seeds. Thinly slice a jalapeno–or thickly slice–if that’s your thing…be sure to add a few pepper seeds for heat, the cool of the cucumber will balance it out. Wash a bunch af fresh cilantro–a fistful on each burger is a good idea.
Mix 1 lb. of ground beef with minced onion, garlic powder and salt and pepper (to taste), and 2-3 Tbsp of soy sauce. Shape into patties and cook in a skillet on med-high heat. I like to use a fatty grind of beef–not too fatty, but not too lean–right in the middle. A juicy burger is best–expensive, lean ground beef will cook up too dry, so don’t be afraid of the “cheap meat”–it’s your hamburger’s friend. Cook burgers to doneness desired–try turning them one time only–and don’t punish the patties with the spatula, squeezing away all the juicy goodness into the pan!
Pile everything on a burger bun with creamy mayonnaise and enjoy the bánh mì goodness :^)
I made bánh mì burgers using ground beef and also thick cuts of cha lua, or vietnamese ham–both were awesome. I love salmon patties and often eat them on a bun–next time I think I’ll try a bánh mì variation of a salmon patty burger. Try making your favorite sandwich using traditional bánh mì fixings and see how you like it, I bet you’ll be happy.
Bon appétit!

How to Make Baked Jalapeno Poppers

Set cream cheese out from fridge for at least 1/2 hour to allow time to soften.

Cut stems from peppers, but not enough to open the back of the pepper entirely, this shallow cut will leave enough of the top of the pepper in place to form a “wall” that will hold the cheese as it bakes.

With a spoon, scoop out the seeds and ribs; your jalapeno should look like a little rowboat (without oars or life jacket).

Spoon cheese mixture into pepper boats. Fill each pepper entirely, but do not overfill–just to the top of each pepper–mounded cheese will only make a mess and disrupt the optimal cheese to pepper ratio.

In a skillet, on medium heat, melt 2-3 Tbsp butter.

Add garlic and stir 1 minute.

Turn off heat and add bread crumbs.

Stir until butter is absorbed and garlic is mixed well with bread crumbs. Or, if you don’t want to fool with garlic cloves–just substitute garlic powder.

Press peppers cheese side down into the crumb mixture, then turn over and mound extra crumb topping on the peppers.

Place peppers on a baking sheet and cook 20-25 minutes at 400 degrees F.

When the crumb topping is baked golden, remove and allow peppers to rest 5 minutes.

After that, you can do whatever your heart desires.
Give this baked jalapeno poppers recipe a try and let me know what you think, and bon appetit!

This is a delicious pecan maple scone recipe, but not a good idea for folks with sugar/carb addictions and questionable degrees of willpower…which is pretty much everyone.

The only reason I’m even putting this up is because The Devil assured me that if I did I would one day win an Oscar and live in a luxury beach house in Malibu (which IS going to happen ’cause I was smart enough to get the deal in writing).

Scone Recipe Ingredients

Icing for Scone Recipe

1 cup POWDERED SUGAR
splash of WATER
2 Tbsp MAPLE SYRUP

best scone ever…really

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut butter into flour mixture (freezing the butter and grating it into the mix is an easy trick to get this done). Add pecans and raisins into the mix.

In a separate bowl, combine sour cream, vanilla, and 1/4 cup maple syrup. Whisk together until smooth.
Pour the sour cream mixture into the flour mix and gently turn for a few minutes until the flour begins to form into clumps. Most of the loose flour will adhere into these clumps, but it’s okay if all of it doesn’t.

On a sheet of parchment paper or floured surface, pour the contents of the bowl. Press the clumps together into a mound–it’ll want to brake apart somewhat, but that’s cool, relax. Flatten the mix into a circular cookie shape about 1 inch thick and cut like a pizza into 8 slices.

Arrange onto a flat baking sheet and bake in a 400 degree F oven for 20-25 minutes, until baked through and golden brown.

While scones cool, add powdered sugar into a small bowl. Add 1-2 Tbsp of warm tap water–add water slowly and whisk into a syrup; be conservative, it’s easy to add too much water. Then whisk 2 Tbsp of maple syrup into the powdered sugar syrup. Why? I don’t know, just crazy.

Drizzle the syrup glaze over the scones and allow the icing to harden (approx 10-15 min).

And there you go…a very sweet and healthy-free combo of questionable ingredients combined to put on the pounds and take potentially vibtrant years off of the back-end of your life.
But this scone recipe is delicious.
Enjoy, if possible.
I usually really like the first two, and then I begin to question my motivations.

Fresh rainbow or swiss chard greens are similar to beet greens, nutritious and very tasty prepared in this healthy chard recipe. Sweet potatoes are high in fiber and antioxidants and a healthier choice for your blood sugar levels than white potatoes.

How to make a Healthy Chard and Sweet Potato Dish

Heat olive oil in a large skillet or pot. Saute the onion for a few minutes minutes then add garlic, ginger, and stalk (if using chard), and saute a few minutes more until onions soften.
Stir in paprika, cumin, coriander, turmeric, cinnamon, salt, and black pepper.
Add diced tomatoes and broth.
Bring to a boil, then add sweet potato and chickpeas. Simmer 25 to 30 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. Stir in roughly chopped chard leaves for last 10 minutes (if using spinach, add leaves last 2 minutes).
Serve over couscous, quinoa, or all on its lonesome with a garnish of cucumber, chopped cilantro, and lemon zest.
It’s especially good over quinoa, and the protein in the quinoa makes this recipe a great main dish for a vegetarian meal.Fresh Rainbow Chard is a beautiful, healthy, leafy green.

Health benefits Of Chard

Chard is a source of vitamin C, A, and K, potassium, magnesium, fiber and iron.

A single serving contains more than 300% of your daily vitamin K needs.

Swiss chard is high in antioxidants.

It is low in calories.

This leafy green belongs to the same family as beets, chard, spinach, and quinoa.

Season both sides of chop before cooking–and don’t be timid with the seasoning–it’ll make all the difference! I often use just salt and pepper (black pepper AND cayenne), but experiment with your favorite seasonings, too–every now and then I’ll season up chops with ground ginger and saute them with onion and sliced, fresh ginger–it’s pretty damn good.
Heat olive oil in a skillet (skillet should be suitable for stovetop and oven)–not smoking hot, but pretty damn hot–we want to sear the pork and seal in the flavor.
Place chops in the skillet; they should sizzle when they hit the pan. Add fresh rosemary sprigs. Cook chops 3-4 minutes on one side and then turn. This is for chops approx. 1″ thick–adjust cooking times according to the size of the chop you use. Move chops in pan to mix with oil and rosemary. Add sliced onion and garlic. Cook chop 3-4 minutes on second side, then remove skillet from stovetop and slide skillet into oven preheated to 350 degrees F. Cook another 4-5 minutes and return to stovetop. Remove chops from skillet and set aside to rest.
Continue cooking onion and garlic with rosemary on medium/low heat to desired doneness.
Top chops with onion and garlic and serve.
That’s it…super easy and super flavorful–it’s a great way to cook up a juicy chop without drying it out, so give this recipe a go and let me know what you think, and bob appetit!

How to Cook Brussels Sprouts

Wash 1½ lbs sprouts. Cut off the ends and discard outer leaves. Slice sprouts into halves, or larger sprouts into 3rds.
Heat 3-4 Tbsp oil in a skillet on high heat–you want the skillet to be hot to sear the sprouts–and don’t be shy with the olive oil.
Add Brussels sprouts.
They should start to sizzle and pop right away. Let set before stirring to get a seared edge. Turn sprouts and continue to sear.
After 4-5 minutes, stir in onion and garlic and continue to cook on high to med. high heat, searing and turning another 3-4 minutes.
Then reduce heat to medium and add water. Add seasoning.
Stir, cover, and let cook 4-5 minutes.
Then turn off heat, stir in lemon zest and lemon juice, and serve.
Give this Brussels Sprouts Recipe a try and let me know what you think, and bon Appetit!

And if you’re still in the mood for foods that start with “B”, try this Beet Recipe.

Brussels Sprouts Fun Facts:
-89% of all children despise Brussels Sprouts.
-3/4 of all convicted felons do not eat Brussels sprouts.
-Albert Einstein considered the Brussels Sprout to be the most compact cabbage, relatively speaking.
-Even children who dislike the taste of Brussels sprouts appreciate the vegetable for it’s “slingshotability”
-Every U.S. president has loved Brussels sprouts and eaten them routinely.

Thanks for checking out the recipe. If you liked it, press a button or two below and share it with your friends.
I appreciate it!
–Chef Buck

First thing, start making the sauce (don’t buy pre-made sauce!–or do…maybe you’re busy, I don’t know).
Heat olive oil and red pepper in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute 2 to 4 minutes. Add Carrot and celery and continue sauteing.
Mix in the remaining sauce ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer 30 minutes or longer, until flavors are blended, stirring routinely.

While sauce is simmering, heat oil in a large skillet and saute garlic and onion for lasagna filling. Add tofu and spinach to skillet and stir until spinach wilts and the mixture is heated through (2 to 3 minutes). Transfer skillet contents to a bowl and stir in parmesan, olives, seasonings, and 2/3 of the marinara sauce.
Spread half of the remaining sauce on bottom of 9 x 13 baking pan. Place a layer of lasagna noodles over sauce–if using the gluten-free rice lasagna, the noodles will not have to be cooked before using. Spread half of the tofu mixture over noodles. Repeat layers of noodle and tofu mixture. Top with remaining marinara sauce and shredded mozzarella cheese.
Cover dish and bake in a 350 degree F oven for about an hour.
Remove from oven and allow to rest 10 minutes.
Then eat, man.
Give this tofu lasagna recipe a try and let me know what you think, and bon appetit!

Drain and rinse 15oz can of chickpeas (garbanzo beans). Combine in a food processor with all ingredients (except 1 Tbsp olive oil and bread crumbs). Mix roughly–pulse–DO NOT puree into a smooth consistency. Place mixture into a bowl and combine with dried bread crumbs (or substitute flour). Form into discs–I like to get 10 out of this recipe because they cook up well and fit nicely into a pita pocket–but make them as big as you like, and adjust the cooking time accordingly.
(Refrigerate 1-2 hours before cooking if you have the time–they’ll bake better, maybe, but it’s not the end of the world if you don’t. I actually prefer putting them in the fridge for a bit, but sometimes I don’t, and the difference is negligible.)
Place on a flat baking sheet and lightly drizzle or brush with olive oil.
Bake at 400 degrees F for 20 minutes, then turn falafel and bake for 10 more minutes to brown each side (a total cooking time of 30 minutes).
Serve with hummus, yogurt, veggies, and pita slices–or stuff inside a pita to make a delicious falafel sandwich.
And that’s it, man. Give this baked falafel recipe a try and let me know what you think and bon appetit!

First thing, fry up your bacon and set aside to cool–you’ll want it crisp enough to crumble. Slice your jalapeno (seeds and all) and saute for a minute or two in the bacon grease–this’ll flavor it up, start to cook it up, and knock off a little of the heat. Set pepper aside on a paper towel to drain.
In a mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix well and then cut in the shortening. Add shredded cheese, sauted pepper, and crumbled bacon and mix. Slowly add milk, turning the mixture, getting the loose flour to come together into clumps.
Then, on a floured surface, turn the clumped dough out of the bowl and knead gently approx. a dozen times.
Form into biscuits–I just make a big pie shape and cut it into four pieces cause I’m lazy (or brilliant).
Brush biscuit tops with melted butter, if desired. I can take of leave this move–the biscuits will have plenty of color from the bacon, cheese, and jalapenos.
Place biscuits on an ungreased sheet and bake at 425 degrees F for 13-15 minutes.
And there you have it. Give this Cheese Biscuits recipe a try and let me know what you think, and bon appetit!

And if you need more bread in your life, let Mama Redbuck show you how to bake up a great Focaccia Recipe.

Wanna make some big biscotti? This twice-baked biscuit is an awesome accompaniment to your favorite hot beverage.

Biscotti is a twice-baked sweet biscuit that goes great with a hot cup of coffee or tea–it’s an easy way to start the day feeling like a real fancy-pants dude or dudette, especially if you’re drinking your hot beverage out of a tiny cup with a tiny spoon to stir in your milk and a cloth napkin to wipe your very satisfied mouth. And there is zero butter or oil in this recipe, just a little rummy goodness.

Biscotti Recipe Ingredients

How to Mkae Almond Biscotti Recipe

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Toast almond slices–watch them, it only takes about 2 minutes to toast, just want a few to begin turning.
Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt then mix and set aside.
Whisk the eggs, rum and extracts until blended well.
Add the dry ingredients, including nuts, and mix until combined.

Dough will be sticky at this point.
Scrape the dough out onto a parchment lined sheet pan.
Quickly shape with wooden spoon into a long flat loaf.

Slice loaf into 1/2″ to 1″ wide slices.
Lay the slices cut side down on the baking sheet and bake another 15-20 minutes.
Turn the slices over and bake 15 minutes more, or until the cookies are a light golden brown.
Cool the biscotti on a rack.
Cool completely before storing.
And that’s it, man. Serve them up with some coffee or hot tea and you’ll feel
like a real fancy-pants Italian lawyer.
Give this big biscotti recipe a try and let me know what you think, and bon appetit!

This beef stew recipe is a classic meat and potato dish, a stick to your ribs dish that hits the spot on a cool day (or almost any day). Check out the recipe video and let Chef Buck show you how easy it is to make this hearty dish.

This will make you feel like a manly man if you’re a man, and if you’re a woman, you’ll likely take ownership of your own feelings and not need a bowl of food to direct your inner emotional understanding.

Chop up your veggies, dude.
In a bowl, season your stew beef with salt and pepper. Add 1/4 cup flour and toss the meat until coated.
In a large pot, heat oil on medium high heat and add beef. Sear beef and turn to cook each side. Remove beef from pot and add onions and butter. Melt butter and then add garlic and bell pepper. Saute onions, garlic, and pepper 8-10 minutes. Add cumin and coriander (add chili powder if desired, or mustard powder, cayene pepper, etc.–I tend to go light on the seasonings for a simple flavor). Return meat to the pot and add 1 can of diced tomatoes. Simmer for 5 minutes and then add 1 can of broth (chicken or beef or veg–whatever’s handy and floats your boat). Add carrots, celery, and a bay leaf. Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, add potatoes. Your potatoes should be cut into big, ping-pong-ball sizes so they don’t cook down to nothing. Add water as needed, just enough to cover your ingredients in the pot–don’t add too much water–we want a nice, thick stew when we’re done.
Cover, and continue to simmer for another 45-50 minutes.
Give it a taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
Serve it with a thick slice of buttered bread and enjoy being the King or Queen of the castle.
And that’s it, man. Give this hearty beef stew recipe a try and let me know what you think, and bon appetit!

Bean Fun Facts:
-6 to 11 percent of a cooked bean’s weight is protein.
-Beans are one of the best things to eat for improving the stability of blood sugar levels in diabetics.
-Beans are low fat, contain no cholesterol or saturated fat, and are an excellent source of fiber, protein, calcium, iron,
folic acid and potassium.
-North Dakota produces more beans than any other state in the USA.

Spaghetti squash tastes great with a little Spanish chorizo thrown into the mix.

When buying, choose a firm spaghetti squash that seems heavy for its size. Avoid squash with overly glossy or with greenish rinds–this may indicate the squash is not quite ripe enough. The stem of a spaghetti squash should be dry. Moisture around the stem may mean the squash is not fresh.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Slice 1 spaghetti squash lengthwise into halves. Remove seeds and place cut side down in a baking pan. Pour a small amout of water in the pan to keep the squash from sticking. Place in the oven and bake for 45 minutes. The squash is ready when a fork will slide easily into the flesh.
In a skillet, heat oil on medium high heat. Add onions and saute a few minutes (add red pepper flakes for heat, if desired). Add garlic and chorizo and continue sauteing. Add salt and pepper to taste. You don’t need a lot of seasoning for this dish–the chorizo will add plenty of flavor. Take a fork and scrape the squash away fromm its skin and into the skillet; the squash will separate easily in spaghetti-like strands…which is why it’s called what it’s called. The squash is already cooked, so this is more about mixing the ingredients than cooking them. Add cilantro and cheese, mix well, and remove the skillet from the heat. It’s a delicious dish, and hearty enough to make a terric main course. Serve with a salad and bread and you’ll have a more than enough.
Enjoy!

A Chana masala recipe with a quinoa twist! It’s already a great tasting chickpea curry, and adding quinoa into the mix will turn this Indian favorite into a complete protein. This dish is easy to prepare and a perfect vegetarian entree.

In a skillet, heat your oil on med. high heat. Add cumin seeds and asafoetida–the asoafoetida (also called “hing”) is OPTIONAL. Stir until seeds brown and crack–this will happen really fast, so don’t walk away from the skillet. Add garlic and continue stirring. Add chopped onions and hot pepper. Saute ingredients for 3-5 minutes.
Add turmeric, coriander, cumin, and chili powder. Stir thoroughly into onion mix.
Add quinoa and diced tomatoes.
Stir and allow skillet to come to a simmer.
Add chickpeas (rinsed and drained), salt to taste, and 1½ cups water. Bring skillet to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer, cover and let simmer for 15 minutes (without stirring).
After the 15 minutes, stir in the garam masala. Using a fork, smash half the chickpeas in the skillet–this will add a nice texture to the dish.
Stir in the chopped cilantro.
And that’s it. Chana Masala with a quinoa twist.
Hope you like it.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Then, make the caramel sauce.
Combine butter, brown sugar, water, and salt in a medium sauce pan, over medium heat, stirring constantly. Bring to boil and continue to stir for 5 minutes depending upon thickness desired. The longer it boils, the thicker your caramel sauce will eventually be. If you don’t stir the pot while the caramel is cooking, it will be a disaster, not as bad as knocking over the cake at a wedding, but the caramel will burn, which will kinda suck.
After 5 minutes, remove sauce from the heat and stir in evaporated milk and vanilla. Set aside to allow caramel to cool and thicken.
Grease a 9 x 13 baking pan.
In a bowl, mix oats, flour, brown sugar, baking powder, vanilla extract, and salt. Stir in butter until well blended.
Reserve one cup of mixture to use as a topping later.
Press remaining mixture into bottom of greased pan. Bake 10-12 minutes until light brown. Let cool 10 minutes. Top with peanuts and chocolate pieces.
Take your caramel sauce and stir in 1/4 cup flour until smooth. Drizzle over nuts and chocolate (keep within 1/4 inch of pan edges). Bake an additional 18-22 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool. Then cut into squares. Give this oatmeal squares recipe a try and let e know what you think. Enjoy! (chocolate, peanuts, caramel…what’s not to enjoy?)

Black eyed peas are beans, dude! Try out this Black eyed peas recipe the next time you’re in the mood for a healthy and tasty salad; beans are a great way to turn a salad into a meal, especially garbanzo and kidney beans, but give black eyed peas a go…I bet you’ll like ’em.

This salad is a nice complement to a spicy meal–in fact it’s based on a dish we get all the time at an Indian restaurant where it’s served to balance out the spiciness of other dishes.

In a small bowl, mix balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Season with spices. Toss into the beans, onion, vegetables (EXCEPT tomato).
Cover, and chill in the refrigerator at least 1 hour, or overnight….longer the better.
Remove from fridge, mix in tomato, add additional seasonings if desired, and serve.

Toast sesame seeds (make extra, ’cause they’re a great addition to all kinds of dishes).
You’ll need about 1 1/2 pounds of chicken cut into roughly 1″ pieces–dark or white, whichever you prefer.
We’re gonna bread and bake the chicken ’cause it’s healthier and less messy than frying.
Set up a breading station:
In a bowl, season 1 cup of flour with salt and pepper.
In another bowl, whip 2 eggs.
And in a third bowl set out your breading–use panko flakes or crushed cereal.
Coat each piece of chicken in flour, then egg, and then roll and coat with bread crumbs
and arrange on a greased baking sheet. When all the chicken is breaded and arranged on the pan, coat the top lightly with an oil spray. Slide the chicken into an oven heated at 400 degrees F and allow to bake 20 minutes. When the chicken is golden and crispy, remove from oven and set aside.
In a bowl, combine soy sauce, hoisin sauce, vinegar, cornstarch and water. Mix well.
Heat sesame oil in a skillet on medium high heat. Add pepper flakes, garlic and ginger. Saute for 2 minutes and then add sauce. Constantly stirring, allow the sauce to come to a simmer. When the sauce begins to bubble, continue stirring a few minutes until the sauce thickens into a syrupy consistency–this will happen quite quickly.
Add the chicken and stir, tossing the chicken until it is well coated with sauce.
Transfer chicken and sauce to a serving dish and garnish with toasted sesame seeds and chopped green onion.
Serve with rice or noodles.
And that’s it…give this General Tso’s Chicken recipe a try and let me know what you think, and bon appétit!

Can you get a fancy-pants dinner out of a can of cheap pink salmon? Sure you can! This salmon cake recipe is easy to make and ready any time you like by using convenient canned salmon from the cupboard. Mmmmmm, I likes me some salmon cakes!

For the cakes, mix ingredients and shape into cakes. Fry in oil –I usually use extra light olive oil, but any will do. Cook on medium heat 4-5 minutes each side until golden brown). Allow the cakes to cook well on one side before you turn, this will keep them from falling apart.
If you are making the sauce, mix ingredients to taste. I tend to go a little ‘mustardy’. Also, you might try adding a little lemon juice to the sauce.
Give this salmon cake recipe a try and let me know what you think and bon appetit.

And for another tasty, nutrition-packed fish recipe, try Mackerel Stew.

Maki sushi is my favorite sushi (makizushi), or sushi wrapped in dried seaweed (nori). Check out the video for step-by-step instructions on how to make sushi quick and easy.

Maki sushi is one of the healthiest and most entertaining foods you can put on the table…and pretty easy to prepare. You will need a SUSHI ROLLER to easily make this recipe. They are available at many supermarkets, most health food stores and every Asian market. You can get one for around $2 to $4.

Maki Sushi Ingredients:
6 to 7 NORI (dried seaweed sheets)
2 cups RICE (do not use long grain rice! Japanese sushi rice can be used, but I prefer short-grain brown rice.)
1/2 cup VINEGAR (apple cider or rice)
SALT (to taste, I use very little)
Assortment of SLICED VEGETABLES, FISH, etcFeel free to experiment with your choices. I generally use a mix of the following: AVOCADO, CUCUMBER, CARROT, GREEN ONIONS, RED PEPPERS, SALMON (I buy 3oz pre-packaged smoked salmon for convenience, since I use so little). I’ve also used SHRIMP, CRAB, CREAM CHEESE and ASPARAGUS (lightly steamed). Mix and match and find combos you enjoy. I find that I almost always use avocado.
Desired condiments e.g. SOY SAUCE, WASABI, PICKED GINGER SLICES
Optional: I like to sprinkle TOASTED SESAME SEEDS over my finished sushi—it adds a great taste and looks nice, too.

Prepare rice according to directions. Remove from stove and add vinegar. Gently mix and set aside to cool. Slice desired ingredients for filling. For a full dinner for two, I generally use 6-7 nori. Place nori shiny side down on your sushi roller. When rice is cool, spread desired amount over nori. I like heaps of rice in my maki sushi, approx. ¾ to1 cup. Spread so that the rice covers the nori leaving ¼ inch on the two sides and on the end closest to you. Leave 1 inch open on the far end of the seaweed sheet. Pull the nori flush with the back end of the roller. Lay the sliced fillings across the rice and, holding the ingredients in check with your fingers, use the roller to roll the seaweed over the ingredients and then press gently along the top and sides. The seaweed should form a nice wrap around the ingredients. Pull the seaweed roll to the back of the roller and roll forward once more until the nori is shaped entirely around the fillings. Use a sharp knife to slice into sushi, and wipe the knife frequently for a cleaner cut. I usually get 6-7 pieces per roll.
After I plate my sushi, I sprinkle lightly with toasted sesame seeds (optional) and serve with wasabi, soy sauce, plum sauce, and pickled ginger slices.
It’s an amazingly easy dish to prepare and a great way to impress a date or get yourself out of the doghouse (if you’re at that stage in your relationship). It kicks ass at parties and your friends will think you are more hip than you probably are –but only if you USE CHOPSTICKS!!!

Poached egg recipe with smoked salmon and spinach salad! Breakfast doesn’t get much fancier than this; it’ll be like a 5-star breakfast in your own home. For a special breakfast treat, give this tasty combo a try.

This poached egg recipe will be like that glorious trip to Paris you’ve always dreamed of taking and then never did! This fancy-pants breakfast is easy to prepare and tastes great –you’ll think you’re living it up with the Rockefeller’s (except you’ll probably have to do your own dishes).

Combine olive oil, lemon juice, onion, zest, salt, and pepper…mix well. Add spinach and fennel and toss. Divide salmon onto two plates and top each portion with spinach salad.
To poach eggs, add a pinch of salt and 1 Tbls of vinegar to a pot of water and bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer. Break each egg into a cup and gently drop into the water…take care not to break the yolk! Poach eggs for 90 seconds and remove with a slotted spoon. Arrange eggs on the salad and serve with tomato garnish and toast.
The runny yolk tastes great on this dish! But if you’re not a fan, then poach the eggs until the yolks are firm, or simply hard boil some eggs and arrange over the dish in slices.
Give this fancy-pants poached egg recipe a try and let me know what you think, and bon appetite!

Here’s a great fish stew recipe idea: ever wonder what to do with those cheap cans of jack mackerel you see on the grocery aisle shoved in between the canned tuna and salmon? It can be used to create a delicious, nutritious seafood stew! It’s easy-peezey-lemon squeezey and a tasty bang for your buck.

Fish Stew Recipe Directions:

Drain mackerel, break fish apart, and set aside in a bowl(I remove some of the less attractive bits of skin and bone, but I’m not militant about it). Heat olive oil in a pot and saute onions and celery for 2-3 minutes. Add the tomato paste and stock. A full can of tomato paste can be used, but I usually just use 2/3 of the can (it all depends on how tomato-ee you like it). Use two cans of stock (32 oz) or just use 1 can stock and 1 can water. Bring pot to a boil and cook for 2 minutes, stirring as needed. Add fish and return pot to boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. While simmering, add lemon juice and seasonings. Stir occasionally and add water if needed.
Serve over rice or with crackers or bread.
Give this awesome canned mackerel fish stew recipe a try and let me know what you think…and bon appétit!

Doesn’t Kale Beet Salad sound like a dream come true? Beets are fun, kale is cool…very exciting stuff. Kale is a slightly rough and tough cabbagee-thingy that’s a little less than friendly in it’s natural state, but massaging salt into the raw leaves can turn Kale into a delicious salad green. Here’s a very tasty and nutritionally jam-packed raw kale recipe with beets.

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Remove greens from beets and cut root bulbs into smaller pieces, about 1/2 inch squares. Spread the beet pieces onto a baking pan and add enough water to cover the bottom of the pan. Cook for 25-35 minutes, remove and allow to cool.
While beets are cooking, remove the spine from the center of the kale leaves and tear kale into salad pieces. Kale is rough, but adding salt to the greens will draw out moisture and soften the leaves, making them darker. Gently massage salt into the kale until it achieves a desirable consistency, this may take several minutes. Grate carrots into the greens, add raisins, then toss and divide portions into salad bowls. In a separate bowl, add diced tomatoes and cooled beets, then add olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and black pepper and mix together. Spoon beet/tomato mixture over kale greens and serve.
This is a delicious way to enjoy and optimize the benefits of raw kale. I’m not usually a big raisin fan, but I find the raisins work really well in this salad. I’ve contemplated tossing minced ginger into the mix, but haven’t gotten around to doing so, although I might next time I whip this dish up. If you give it a try, let me know what you think.
This is one of the healthiest dishes I routinely prepare, but be aware, eating beets can cause some rosy changes when you answer “the call of nature”. (Don’t be alarmed, you probably won’t be dying…in fact, you’ll probably be doing a lot better.)
Give this kale beet salad a try and let me know what you think, and bon appétit!

Quinoa salad is vegetarian perfection. Quinoa is a versatile food, similar to rice, but with 9 essential amino acids, making it a complete protein. It’s easy to prepare and super tasty. The salad recipe below makes an excellent meal, a tasty side dish, or a light snack. Serves 2-4.

Quinoa Salad Direections:

Add 1 cup quinoa to 2 cups water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 10-15 minutes (I find it usually takes about 15 minutes). Place cooked quinoa in bowl and let cool—doesn’t have to cool completely—by the time you get your other ingredients prepped, the quinoa will be cool enough. Add vinegar, olive oil, salt, and stir well. Add onion, ginger, and garlic. I usually chop the onion fine and MINCE the garlic and ginger VERY WELL. The raw garlic and ginger adds lots of flavor and nutrition. Give the bowl a good stir and get these ingredients mixed thoroughly. Add yellow pepper (red pepper is fine, but yellow makes a nice color contrast), cucumber, carrot. Sometimes I also add green onions—or even diced jalapeños if I’m looking for a little kick—feel free to experiment with any vegetables you enjoy in a raw state. Mix ingredients and then add the tomatoes. I like to add the tomatoes last so they don’t get too beat up by the spoon. If you’ve got some parsley or cilantro on hand, throw that in as well—I make sure I’ve got some cilantro on hand when I’m making this dish. A bit of lemon juice is a nice finish and will also help keep the colors of the dish vibrant.
Give this quinoa salad recipe a try and let me know what you think, and bon appetit!

We still use rice, but not nearly as often (if I have to choose between eating ribs and rice or ribs and quinoa, it’s really not a choice, I choose rice every time–and I’m talking white rice!) but for MANY dishes, I’m losing the rice and going with quinoa. White rice doesn’t stand a chance against quinoa, but even brown rice doesn’t provide as much nutritional value–plus with quinoa being a complete protein, it’s a lot less hassle to fashion a meatless meal. I’ve always got quinoa on hand now, and before using rice in a dish, I ask myself “will quinoa work here?” Sometimes the answer is NO, because rice provides great texture for many dishes–but more often than not, I go with quinoa.

Shrimp Linguine Directions

Prep your ingredients first, then get your pasta cooking. I like to add a Tbsp of olive oil to my pasta water as well as a 2-4 tsp salt. Cook the pasta according to the package directions and whatever firmness you desire. I’m using whole grain wheat linguine for this recipe, which takes about 12 minutes to cook–a bit longer than most linguine. The cooking time for the skillet ingredients should be around 7-9 minutes, so try to time your pasta to finish with the shrimp–overcooked shrimp is rubbery and overcooked pasta is mushy, so timing is everything!!!

In your skillet, heat 2 Tbsp olive oil and 1/4 butter on medium heat. When hot, add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add onions and continue to cook a couple more minutes. Add broccoli florets, and add more butter and oil as needed. If you don’t want to add broccoli, substitute 1/2 cup chopped parsley instead. Sauté florets, garlic, and onions another 2 minutes and then add shrimp. Throw in some Italian herbs if you want to get all herby.

The shrimp will be done when they turn pink–don’t overcook or they’ll turn rubbery!! Remove the cooked pasta from water and add directly to the skillet. Don’t drain or strain the pasta!!–you’re just throwing away good flavor. Add the remainder of your original 1/2 stick butter. Mix pasta and ingredients. Add some pasta water to the mix (about 1/2 cup or so). I find that the salt in the water and butter is plenty for me, but salt a little more if desired. Remove the skillet from the heat and serve. Fresh Parmesan cheese and toasted garlic bread are nice accompaniments!! Maybe some wine?
Bon appétit!

If you’re using a frozen hen, allow bird to thaw overnight in the fridge. Wash hen well and cut through the breast and into two halves. Lightly oil a baking dish and place halves. Rub both sides of hen with salt, pepper, garlic, and rosemary. Cover hens with potatoes and carrot and additional seasoning. Top with chopped onion and melted butter and cover dish. Cook in 400 degree F oven for 30 minutes. Remove, mix ingredients, cover and return to oven for 15 minutes more. Remove hen from oven and uncover. Mix ingredients, place hen halves on top of vegetables and return to oven and cook additional 10 minutes. At this point (dish has cooked 55 minutes total) I like to turn on the broiler and broil each side of the hen for 2-3 minutes, making the skin crispy and tasty. Keep an eye on the hens and do not overbroil! Remove from the oven and serve. I like to rub dried oregano between my palms and coat the plate and serve with sliced tomatoes.
Give this Cornish hen recipe a try and let me know what you think, and…
Bon Appétit!

This sausage tomato pie might look like a pizza, but it’s definitely not a pizza! The crust has a flaky pastry quality and the onions act the part of a pie filling. This is a rich dish, bordering on decadent; it’s super filling and super flavorful. For a meatless alternative, try faux sausage—or no sausage at all—this dish works well just as a Tomato Pie.

Heat 2 Tbsp oil in a skillet and add GARLIC. Sauté for 1 minute and add SAUSAGE. Continue cooking, adding CHILI POWDER, CUMIN, and SALT for seasoning. Cook meat to completion and set aside in a bowl. Slice 3 large ONIONS into strips. Add oil to pan and add onions. Cook onions down until soft and caramelized; this may take some time, but the more completely the onions are cooked down, the tastier the final dish will be! Remove onions from heat and set aside.

In a bowl, combine 2 cups ALL PURPOSE FLOUR and ¾ stick softened BUTTER. Mix butter into flour thoroughly. Add ¼ cup VEGETABLE OIL and continue to mix. Add ½ cup Water. Mix until the dough is smooth. Spoon onto ungreased pizza pan and spread (use the spoon!). Spread evenly into the size of a large pizza and leave a raised edge for the crust. Place in pre-heated oven and cook at 375 F for 10 minutes. Remove dough from oven and top with DIJON MUSTARD. Spread a layer of mustard evenly and cover dough completely except for the outer edge—just like spreading mustard on a sandwich. Add cooked onions and spread evenly over the mustard. Top with SEASONED MEAT and MOZZARELLA CHEESE. Top dish with sliced TOMATOES and sprinkle liberally with dried ITALIAN HERBS: oregano, thyme, basil, etc..

In a small bowl, combine 2 Tbsp OLIVE OIL, 2 Tbsp TOMATO SAUCE, and 1-2 Tbsp fresh chopped PARSLEY. Brush mixture over each tomato slice. Return pie to the oven and continue to bake at 375 F for 30-40 minutes until edge of crust is brown.

Jicama is a root vegetable that can be served raw. It is similar in appearance to a potato, but tastes more like an apple, although not quite as sweet; I find it has an “earthier” taste. Many folks compare the crisp texture of Jicama to that of a water chestnut. Jicama is especially good in this recipe because it takes on the flavor of the dressing very well.

Peel jicama root and cut into matchstick shapes. Tear cabbage into salad-sized pieces (substitute romaine lettuce if preferred, but I find the cabbage holds up better in the dressing). Slice snow peas into ¼ inch widths. Shred carrots. Combine all in a bowl and mix.

In a smaller bowl, add vinegar (red or white wine vinegar or rice vinegar can be used), soy sauce, honey, sesame oil, and water (start with 1 Tbsp of water and add another if desired). Mix ingredients.

Combine dressing and vegetables and toss thoroughly. Serve as a side dish to add Asian flair to any meal—and it’s great with fish.

I love a tasty fried shrimp recipe, and “tempura” is just a fancy pants word for “fried”. This dish is a knock-off of a dish I love to order at a Chinese restaurant when I’m down in Tampa, but since I don’t live in Tampa, I had to figure out how to make this fried shrimp recipe for myself—and I’ve done it!

The key is cilantro, and lots of it—also lots of garlic and a little hot pepper, too! Be sure to use a non-stick pan to cook up the spicy pepper mix, otherwise you’ll be setting yourself up for a headache and burned garlic!

Chop up 1 bunch of cilantro, stems AND leaves. Chop 2 green onions. Dice peppers, I like to use 2 green chili peppers, but use whatever peppers you like depending on how much heat you want in the dish. Finely chop 10-12 cloves of garlic. Heat a non-stick skillet with 2 Tbsp of oil—definitely use a non-stick skillet!!
Add peppers to skillet and allow to cook 1 minute, then add garlic and red pepper flakes (adjust pepper flakes to taste). Cook for 1 minute and then add green onions. Be sure to keep ingredients stirring, reduce heat as necessary to prevent garlic from burning. As garlic browns, add the cilantro and continue to stir ingredients, cooking out the moisture. It’s okay if the garlic browns well, as long as it’s not burned; the dryer the ingredients get the better. Cook the ingredients down and then remove the skillet from the heat and set aside.
Heat up the oil for the shrimp. While the oil heats, prepare the tempura batter. It’s best not to prepare the batter ahead of time. In a bowl, beat 1 egg, add 1 cup of ice-cold water, then add 1 cup of all purpose flour. Mix together into a thin batter, but don’t over mix—it’s okay if there are some lumps. Test the batter in the frying oil; the batter will sizzle and float if it is ready.
Use peeled and deveined shrimp with the tail still attached—the tail makes a perfect handle. Dip shrimp in batter and then shake off the excess. Lay shrimp in the hot oil and cook 3-4 minutes, turning once. DO NOT cook too many shrimp at the same time because they will stick together and not crisp and brown evenly. When the shrimp are golden, remove from oil and drain on a paper towel (the 1st batch I put into the pepper mix to drain).
When all the shrimp are fried, add them to the pepper mix and return the skillet to the burner on low heat. Salt to taste and toss the shrimp GENTLY and thoroughly with the spice mix. Remove from heat and serve immediately.
I like to serve this dish with sticky rice and a sautéed green, something like cabbage or bok choy. Give fried shrimp recipe a try a let me know what you think, and bon appétit!

This is a quick chocolate candy recipe treat idea for lazy hosts and lazier guests. Need to provide a tasty dish for a party, but don’t have the time? Need it to look homemade even though you don’t want to actually make anything? If you’re going to a party or having a party, this is an easy dish to whip together with almost zero effort. The most annoying part is unwrapping the candies.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
Arrange pretzels on a baking sheet (putting wax paper underneath will make cleanup a breeze). Top each pretzel with a peanut butter cup or chocolate caramel (if it was just me, I’d use only peanut butter cups, but Camera Girl likes the caramels, and it makes for a better variety if you’re making the dish for guests). Place baking sheet in oven for 4 minutes to soften chocolates. Remove baking sheet from oven and top softened chocolates with pecan halves. For variety, top some of the chocolates with pretzels. Allow chocolate to cool before removing treats from baking sheet.
That’s it! Pretzels, chocolate, and nuts…who doesn’t like that? It’s easy peezey and a great treat to serve when you don’t feel like making a fuss.
So give this quick chocolate candy recipe treat a try and let me know what you think, and…
Bon appétit!

(I like pretzels on the bottom and top with a peanut butter cup in between. Camera girl likes the pretzel on the bottom with pecan half on top and a chocolate caramel in between; she says it’s like one of those “turtle” candies. Pecans are okay, but they’re too expensive…pretzels and peanut butter cups are all you really need, but get the rest if you’re tryin’ to be fancy pants.)

Camera Girl is cooking up one of my favorites, a pecan chicken quiche recipe! It’s super easy and super delicious. Definitely take the time to make this crust, because it’s not much time at all, and well worth the effort! This is a great way to use leftover chicken (for best results, avoid canned chicken with this recipe—why would you want to do that to yourself?))

Make the crust first. Combine all the dry ingredients and mix well. Add vegetable oil and mix thoroughly. Press into a 9” pie tin and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow the crust to cool completely. While the crust takes its sweet time, whip up the quiche filling.In a bowl, combine the sour cream, mayonnaise, chicken broth, and eggs and mix together until smooth. Add the chicken (already cooked and chopped well); this is a great way to use leftover chicken, or simply cook up and chop 3-4 thighs, which is what we usually do. Add shredded cheese, dried dill weed, minced onion, and hot sauce to taste. Mix well and pour into cooled pie crust. Top with chopped pecans and bake at 350 degrees F for 50-60 minutes. The pie will set and be golden brown when finished. Remove from heat and allow to rest 10-15 minutes before serving.
Give this awesome pecan chicken quiche recipe a try and let me know what you think, and…
Bon appétit!

Open canned clams and separate liquid from clams. Heat a large skillet on medium and begin melting butter, add olive oil. When all is melted, add onion and garlic. Cook until garlic begins to color, mind cooking temperature to avoid burning (lower temp if needed).
Add white wine and simmer 5-10 minutes to reduce. Add chicken broth, clam juice reserved from cans (an additional 8oz bottle of clam juice can also be added, if extra clamminess is desired). Add red pepper flakes, oregano, parsley, and black pepper. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes.
While sauce is simmering, prepare linguine according to package directions.
After sauce has cooked for 20 minutes, stir in clams and turn off heat. Add linguine noodles to sauce (don’t drain and rinse noodles, just take them right from the pot and mix them with the sauce). Stir in the grated parmesan cheese and serve (if desired, top with fresh parsley to add a little color).
And toast up some garlic bread, too.
Give this linguine with clam sauce recipe a try and let me know what you think, and…
Bon appétit!

Drain and rinse one 15oz can of chick peas (also called Garbanzo Beans—they’re the same thing) and place in a food processor. I use canned beans because it’s easy and—to my mind—taste the same (maybe even better). Add 2 cloves of garlic or perhaps even 3 if you’re a garlic freak, but start with only 2 cloves because your friends and family will appreciate it. Add oil, tahini, lemon juice, and salt to taste. Water can be added and the amount really depends on the consistency of the hummus you’re trying to make. Start with a ¼ cup and add more water if needed. Blend ingredients until desired chunkiness or smoothness is attained.

Garnish with extra olive oil, paprika, parsley or cilantro, etc.

There’s no end to the types of hummus you can create. All manner of ingredients can be added to the basic recipe above. ROASTED RED PEPPERS make a tasty addition, especially those from a jar as they blend readily, but forego adding water since the peppers will have plenty.
Also try adding cucumber, hot peppers, cumin, dill, curry, green onions, etc.
The subtle flavor of the chick peas will pair nicely with most ingredients.

Deviled Egg Recipe Ingredients

How to Make Deviled Eggs

Boil and peel 6 eggs—perfectly if you can—which you can if you do it this way:
(Overly-long egg paragraph follows)
Use older eggs. As an egg ages, it shrinks within the shell and separates from the inner membrane, making the egg easier to peel after boiling; fresher eggs will have a stronger membranous attachment to the shell and are more difficult to peel (yawn). Eggs 10 days to 2 weeks old will work well. Prepare the eggs in a pot large enough to keep them from jostling together and cracking; heating the eggs gradually will also prevent cracking. Place eggs in a pot and fill with cold tap water so the eggs are completely covered with about 1 inch extra water above. Add a pinch of salt (some folks add a tablespoon of vinegar to prevent the eggs from leaking should they crack, but I never do this because I don’t think James Dean would). Uncovered, bring the pot to a boil. As soon as the pot begins to boil, turn off the heat, cover and allow eggs to sit 12 minutes. After 12 minutes, exchange the hot water for cold under the tap and allow eggs to cool; exchange the water several times if needed. When eggs have cooled, peel them under the water in the pot (peeling them under running water is kind of a waste of water, so why do dat?)
Okay.
Now you’ve got 6 boiled and peeled eggs.
Slice them into halves lengthwise and plop out the yellow yolks into a mixing bowl. Add one of the egg white halves to the mixing bowl as well, or two halves if you like a lot of filling. Add salt and pepper to taste. In a skillet, heat a splash of olive oil on med-high heat and sauté ¼ tsp cumin seeds and 1 clove of finely chopped garlic until garlic is lightly browned—do not burn: the garlic will cook quickly. Add the garlic and cumin seeds to the yolk mixture. Add mayonnaise gradually and mix the ingredients to desired smoothness (AGAIN—add the mayonnaise gradually! If the mixture is too soft it will not set up properly in the egg white!)
Which brings us back to the egg white.
Spoon the yolk mixture into the egg whites and arrange nicely onto a serving dish.
Sprinkle as desired with curry powder (or substitute cumin powder).
Give this deviled egg recipe a try and let me know what you think, and…
bon appétit!

Divide a 1” piece of ginger into two halves. Finely chop one half to use in the sauce and thinly slice the other half and set aside to cook with the stir fry. In a small bowl, mix together the tahini and soy sauce until a thin peanut-buttery consistency is achieved. Mix the finely chopped ginger into the sauce and set aside.
Wash kale, remove spine, and cut or tear into mouth-manageable pieces. Heat the sesame oil on medium high and sauté onion slices and finely chopped pepper for 1 minute. Add a pinch of salt (not much salt will be need